Schizophrenic patients who smoke have a faster finger tapping rate than non-smokers.
The increased rate of smoking in schizophrenia patients remains unexplained and may reflect attempts at self-treatment. The effect sought from smoking may be related to nicotine's stimulating action. We tested this hypothesis by examining the relationship between smoking status and finger tapping rate, a measure of central processing, in schizophrenia patients treated with atypical antipsychotics. Smokers showed significantly faster finger tapping rates than non-smokers. This was not related to clinical state, illness chronicity, medication side-effects, antipsychotic dose or plasma concentrations. Nicotine can improve central processing in medicated schizophrenia patients and this may constitute part of the incentive for smoking.
Silver
Henry
H
Flugelman (Mazra) Psychiatric Hospital, Doar Na Ashrat, Israel. mdsilver@tx.techniojn.ac.il
Shlomo
Nili
N
Hiemke
Christoph
C
Rao
Marie-Luise
ML
Ritsner
Michael
M
Modai
Ilan
I
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D005385:Fingers / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009068:Movement / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009538:Nicotine / Q000494:pharmacology; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D010361:Patients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D012559:Schizophrenia; D012907:Smoking
D018722:Nicotinic Agonists; D009538:Nicotine