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Targeting the noradrenergic system for gender-sensitive medication development for tobacco dependence
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Targeting the noradrenergic system for gender-sensitive medication development for tobacco dependence

Terril L Verplaetse, Andrea H Weinberger, Philip H Smith, Kelly P Cosgrove, Yann S Mineur, Marina R Picciotto, Carolyn M Mazure and Sherry A McKee
Nicotine & tobacco research, v 17(4), pp 486-495
01 Apr 2015
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntu280
PMID: 25762760
Featured in Collection :   UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
url
https://europepmc.org/articles/pmc4432402View
Published, Version of Record (VoR)Open Access (License Unspecified),  Open
url
https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntu280View
Published, Version of Record (VoR) Open

Abstract

Female Gender Identity Humans Male Nicotine - therapeutic use Receptors, Androgen Smoking Cessation - methods Smoking Prevention Substance Withdrawal Syndrome - drug therapy
Tobacco use remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality for both women and men in the United States, and women often experience poorer smoking cessation outcomes than men. Preliminary evidence suggests there are sex differences in medication effectiveness for smoking cessation. However, current medications do not take into account gender-sensitive treatment development and efficacy, underscoring the importance of this underdeveloped area of research. We reviewed preclinical and clinical evidence for gender differences in the inability to quit smoking by examining (a) the effect of increased negative affect and stress reactivity on smoking outcomes in women and (b) smoking for nicotine reinforcement in men. We also reviewed the current literature targeting the noradrenergic system as a novel gender-sensitive treatment strategy for tobacco dependence. We hypothesize that noradrenergic agents that normalize noradrenergic activity may differentially attenuate stress reactivity in women and nicotine-related reinforcement in men, indicating that targeting the noradrenergic system for smoking cessation may be effective for both genders, with benefits operating through sex-specific mechanisms. Converging lines of preclinical and clinical evidence suggest that gender-sensitive approaches to medication development for smoking cessation are a critical next step for addressing low quit rates and exacerbated health risks among women. Evidence reviewed indicates that smoking activates different brain systems modulated by noradrenergic activity in women versus men, and noradrenergic compounds may preferentially target these gender-sensitive systems.

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8 Record Views
31 citations in Web of Science
35 citations in Scopus

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UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This publication has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:

#3 Good Health and Well-Being

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Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Substance Abuse
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