Nicotine-Like Drug Benefits Brain

Scientists have discovered that a metabolite of nicotine may help
improve memory and protect brain cells against dementia. Known as
cotinine, the drug has neither the addictive properties nor the harmful
side effects of nicotine, yet may still be potent enough for therapeutic
use, say researchers at the Medical College of Georgia.

Pharmacologist Jerry Buccafusco and his team noticed that while
nicotine is known to enhance memory and cognition, the effects last long
after nicotine has disappeared from the body. They began to suspect a
longer acting substance. "Cotinine lasts 10 times longer in the blood
[than nicotine]. We decided to study cotinine as a pharmacological drug
in its own right," says Buccafusco.

In the first of three experiments, researchers found that rhesus
monkeys that had received cotinine performed better on tests of memory
than did those who did not receive the drug.

Separately, the scientists studied brain cells similar to those
affected by Alzheimer's disease in culture. Normally, when growth factors
are taken away from such cells, they start to die. The presence of
cotinine totally prevented this cell death, having the same effectiveness
as nicotine itself. A third study hinted that cotinine may have promise
in treating the symptoms of schizophrenia.

Because cotinine is known to have few side effects in humans, it's
a strong candidate for a safe drug with nicotinic-type benefits.

Buccafusco presented his findings this week at the Annual Meeting
of the Society for Neuroscience in New Orleans.