Schizophrenia, smoking, and smog. 1995

R J Holden

The article outlines the relationships that obtain among schizophrenia, smoking, and smog. An overview of known scientific facts concerning the pathogenesis of schizophrenia is first provided. The relationship this has with nicotine addiction is discussed next, and finally the notion is introduced that heterocyclic amines found in cigarette smoke and petroleum fumes serve as a potent environmental neurotoxin that seriously compromises mental health in biologically susceptible individuals. It is argued that such biologic susceptibility takes the form of cerebral diabetes, which accounts for the serious impairment of glucose metabolism as demonstrated by positron emission tomography. Central to this argument is the view that diabetes can be peripheral, without affecting the central nervous system, or central, without affecting the peripheral system.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D011568 Psychiatric Nursing A specialty concerned with the application of psychiatric principles in caring for the mentally ill. It also includes the nursing care provided the mentally ill patient. Mental Health Nursing,Nursing, Psychiatric,Psychosocial Nursing,Nursing, Mental Health,Nursing, Psychosocial
D001927 Brain Diseases Pathologic conditions affecting the BRAIN, which is composed of the intracranial components of the CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM. This includes (but is not limited to) the CEREBRAL CORTEX; intracranial white matter; BASAL GANGLIA; THALAMUS; HYPOTHALAMUS; BRAIN STEM; and CEREBELLUM. Intracranial Central Nervous System Disorders,Brain Disorders,CNS Disorders, Intracranial,Central Nervous System Disorders, Intracranial,Central Nervous System Intracranial Disorders,Encephalon Diseases,Encephalopathy,Intracranial CNS Disorders,Brain Disease,Brain Disorder,CNS Disorder, Intracranial,Encephalon Disease,Encephalopathies,Intracranial CNS Disorder
D003920 Diabetes Mellitus A heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by HYPERGLYCEMIA and GLUCOSE INTOLERANCE.
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D012307 Risk Factors An aspect of personal behavior or lifestyle, environmental exposure, inborn or inherited characteristic, which, based on epidemiological evidence, is known to be associated with a health-related condition considered important to prevent. Health Correlates,Risk Factor Scores,Risk Scores,Social Risk Factors,Population at Risk,Populations at Risk,Correlates, Health,Factor, Risk,Factor, Social Risk,Factors, Social Risk,Risk Factor,Risk Factor Score,Risk Factor, Social,Risk Factors, Social,Risk Score,Score, Risk,Score, Risk Factor,Social Risk Factor
D012559 Schizophrenia A severe emotional disorder of psychotic depth characteristically marked by a retreat from reality with delusion formation, HALLUCINATIONS, emotional disharmony, and regressive behavior. Dementia Praecox,Schizophrenic Disorders,Disorder, Schizophrenic,Disorders, Schizophrenic,Schizophrenias,Schizophrenic Disorder
D012905 Smog A mixture of smoke and fog polluting the atmosphere. (Dorland, 27th ed)
D012907 Smoking Willful or deliberate act of inhaling and exhaling SMOKE from burning substances or agents held by hand. Smoking Behaviors,Smoking Habit,Behavior, Smoking,Behaviors, Smoking,Habit, Smoking,Habits, Smoking,Smoking Behavior,Smoking Habits

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