Scientists have found why person while quitting smoking falls into depression

October 3, 2011

It is connected with the fact that in the body of recent smoker the level of "sadness' enzymes" concentration increases.

People that have quit smoking recently often face such problem as depression.

Canadian scientists have found that the reason of this is change of concentration of enzyme that is responsible for sadness feeling. Specialists from Center for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto have found that harman agent that cigarettes contain influences the number of "mood enzymes" MAO-A. Besides this influence has inversely proportional relation: the lower harman concentration is the higher is the level of MAO-A.

MAO-A absorbs "joy hormone" serotonin and in normal human condition allows to maintain even mood. When its' concentration during cigarettes' refusal increases, this process becomes hyperactive.

Thereafter, increased level of enzyme negatively influences the mood of person who has quit smoking and as result people feel sadness permanently.

Their conclusions experts have made basing on scanning the brain of 48 volunteers. They were divided into groups depending on how heavy smokers they were (moderate smokers have smoked 15-24 cigarettes a day, active - 25 and more).

Scientists have analyzed their brain while they were smoking during eight hours and when they have refrained from cigarettes during the same period of time. Moderate smokers haven't showed change of MAO-A indices, but active smokers have showed increase of compound by 25 %. Blood tests have also registered increase of MAO-A indices that are connected with sharp decrease of Harman concentration.

Basing on results of their survey specialists offered to use new filters for cigarettes that decrease Harman concentration.