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Delineating the Role of Benzodiazepine Receptors in Alcohol& Nicotine Dependence


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For those who are smoking during benzodiazepine withdrawal, here's an article that looks at the complicated relationship between GABA receptors, smoking and alcohol withdrawal. Although the article is about alcohol withdrawal, it makes sense to consider the possible effects of smoking on benzodiazepine withdrawal.

 

From the article:

 

"Alcohol, like benzodiazepines (BDZ), facilitates GABA function. In contrast, cigarette smoke contains beta carbolines that block the actions of BDZ at GABA-A receptors, suggesting that tobacco smoking opposes the effects of alcohol at the GABA receptor and facilitates tolerance to the effects of alcohol."

 

http://www.dana.org/Media/GrantsDetails.aspx?id=38940

 

There are many studies related to this complicated issue, including this one, which looks at differences between male and female smokers, GABA receptor availability, sensitivity to pain and smoking cravings. The full title is "Sex-specific differences in GABA(A) -benzodiazepine receptor availability: relationship with sensitivity to pain and tobacco smoking craving."

 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22353491

 

And here's one more related article, entitled "Tobacco smoking interferes with GABA A receptor neuroadaptations during prolonged alcohol withdrawal":

 

http://www.pnas.org/content/111/50/18031.full.pdf

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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