The research counters its unsavory reputation as the addictive grabber in cigarettes. Despite its evil image, new research suggests that nicotine is a surprisingly potent drug for a variety of diseases that afflict the brain, including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Tourette's syndrome. Many small studies over the past decade have explored the possible benefits of this ubiquitous drug. But the field appears to be taking on fresh life as doctors test nicotine patches for neurological diseases in both children and the elderly, and drug companies race to concoct nicotine substitutes that carry fewer side effects. Still, nicotine has many drawbacks, including its unsavory reputation as the addictive grabber in cigarettes.
Some experts believe nicotine's real future is in fake forms of the drug.
The problem with nicotine is that it is nicotine. Typically, doctors treat Tourette's with Haldol, a powerful tranquilizer that is also used against schizophrenia. In the latest study, Sanberg and colleagues combined nicotine patches and Haldol in 70 children, half of whom got dummy patches. The study found those on nicotine did better and were able to control their symptoms with lower than usual doses of Haldol. He and others experimenting with nicotine described their research at a conference in Washington sponsored by the American Association for the Advancement of Science.