Newhouse also tested a synthetic form of nicotine, Abbott Laboratories' ABT-418, on six Alzheimer's patients. Since no drug firms have exclusive rights to nicotine, researchers say companies have little interest in paying for studies to prove its health benefits. However, several are working on nicotine substitutes that can be patented. These drugs could be more precisely targeted against specific disorders, carry fewer side effects and be available as pills rather than patches. Nicotine is thought to work by regulating the brain's levels of message-carrying chemicals, such as dopamine and acetylcholine.
Researchers say they see no sign that patients get hooked on the patch.
The main side effects are nausea and itching around the patch. Another drawback of the patch is the possibility it might trigger heart attacks, as the much higher nicotine in cigarettes can. Sanberg said that in his studies, children's heart rates rise about 10 percent, but they show no other obvious heart effects. The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.