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Nicotine For Alzheimer's Disease


   Nicotine, the main substance found in cigarettes,can increase or decrease the risk of getting alzheimer's disease. Heavy smoking increases the risk of getting the disease [133-134]. The large Rotterdam Study reports that current smokers have more than four times the risk of getting alzheimer's disease, compared with current non-smokers [135. Light cigarette smoking,however, seems to decrease risk. One study analyzed the reports of 18 studies of nicotine and alzheimer's disease; 15 of 18 studies found light smoking actually decreases alzheimer risk, on average, by 36 percent [136].
    Because mild nicotine seems to decrease risk of alzheimer's disease, some researchers have given alzheimer patients nicotine. One study gave 14 to 21 milligrams of nicotine daily to patients, via dermal plaster. Nicotine did not alter cognition [137]. Another study gave nicotine in skin patches. The treatment did not improve cognition, but did improve the alertness of patients [138].