title: Effects of nicotine gum on F waves in non-smokers.
abstract: The effects of chewing gum, containing 0 and 4 mg nicotine, on F waves were studied in healthy volunteers in a repeated measure design. F responses were recorded from the abductor pollicis brevis muscle following stimulation of the median nerve at the wrist. The persistence and various amplitude measures were analysed. Chewing a 4 mg nicotine gum, with a considerable rise in systemic nicotine (6.4-37.4 ng/ml), failed to produce significant effects on F wave parameters in relation to the placebo baseline. The analysis of different F wave amplitude ranges, however, revealed significant nicotine-induced changes: a dose-related decrease of F responses > or = 500 microV and an increase of F waves between 200-290 microV. This may be due to an activation of Renshaw cells in the spinal cord.
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Neurology, University of Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Strenge
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Niederberger
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Porschke
authors.forename: H W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Schütz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001831:Body Temperature; D004576:Electromyography; D005881:Gingiva; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008475:Median Nerve / Q000187:drug effects*; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000187:drug effects; D009538:Nicotine / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D009538:Nicotine