{"title":"Gender differences in the relationship between nicotine exposure and symptoms of depression","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.pbb.2024.173857","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Tobacco-derived nicotine exposure is linked to depression. However, the associations of nicotine and its metabolites with symptoms of depression, particularly concerning gender differences, remain underexplored.</p></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><p>The characteristics and total nicotine equivalents (TNE) of 1001 subjects were determined. The association between the TNE and symptoms of depression, accounting for gender differences, was investigated using generalized linear models and subgroup analyses.</p></div><div><h3>Results</h3><p>Men exhibited significantly greater levels of the nicotine exposure indicators TNE2, TNE3, TNE6, and TNE7 (<em>P</em> < 0.005). A significantly greater percentage of women (23.45 %) than men (9.81 %) exhibited symptoms of depression (<em>P</em> < 0.0001). In women, the relationship between the TNE and depression was reflected by a U-shaped curve with significant inflection points, particularly for TNE3, TNE6, and TNE7. Furthermore, in women, concentrations above 48.98 nmol/mL for TNE3, 53.70 nmol/mL for TNE6, and 57.54 nmol/mL for TNE7 were associated with 154 %, 145 %, and 138 % increases in the risk of depression, respectively. In contrast, these associations did not reach significance among men.</p></div><div><h3>Limitations</h3><p>The cross-sectional design limits the ability to infer causality between nicotine exposure and depressive symptoms. Larger-scale studies are needed to confirm these findings.</p></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>Gender could be a significant factor influencing the relationship between nicotine exposure levels and symptoms of depression. The impact of nicotine exposure on symptoms of depression should be particularly considered among women.</p></div><div><h3>Implications</h3><p>This study revealed the complex relationship between tobacco-related nicotine exposure and depressive symptoms, with a particular focus on gender differences. Our results revealed a distinct U-shaped correlation between total nicotine equivalents and depression in women, which differed from that in men. These findings emphasize the importance of tailoring clinical approaches to address nicotine exposure and manage depressive symptoms based on gender.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":19893,"journal":{"name":"Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.3000,"publicationDate":"2024-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior","FirstCategoryId":"102","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0091305724001515","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background
Tobacco-derived nicotine exposure is linked to depression. However, the associations of nicotine and its metabolites with symptoms of depression, particularly concerning gender differences, remain underexplored.
Methods
The characteristics and total nicotine equivalents (TNE) of 1001 subjects were determined. The association between the TNE and symptoms of depression, accounting for gender differences, was investigated using generalized linear models and subgroup analyses.
Results
Men exhibited significantly greater levels of the nicotine exposure indicators TNE2, TNE3, TNE6, and TNE7 (P < 0.005). A significantly greater percentage of women (23.45 %) than men (9.81 %) exhibited symptoms of depression (P < 0.0001). In women, the relationship between the TNE and depression was reflected by a U-shaped curve with significant inflection points, particularly for TNE3, TNE6, and TNE7. Furthermore, in women, concentrations above 48.98 nmol/mL for TNE3, 53.70 nmol/mL for TNE6, and 57.54 nmol/mL for TNE7 were associated with 154 %, 145 %, and 138 % increases in the risk of depression, respectively. In contrast, these associations did not reach significance among men.
Limitations
The cross-sectional design limits the ability to infer causality between nicotine exposure and depressive symptoms. Larger-scale studies are needed to confirm these findings.
Conclusions
Gender could be a significant factor influencing the relationship between nicotine exposure levels and symptoms of depression. The impact of nicotine exposure on symptoms of depression should be particularly considered among women.
Implications
This study revealed the complex relationship between tobacco-related nicotine exposure and depressive symptoms, with a particular focus on gender differences. Our results revealed a distinct U-shaped correlation between total nicotine equivalents and depression in women, which differed from that in men. These findings emphasize the importance of tailoring clinical approaches to address nicotine exposure and manage depressive symptoms based on gender.
期刊介绍:
Pharmacology Biochemistry & Behavior publishes original reports in the areas of pharmacology and biochemistry in which the primary emphasis and theoretical context are behavioral. Contributions may involve clinical, preclinical, or basic research. Purely biochemical or toxicology studies will not be published. Papers describing the behavioral effects of novel drugs in models of psychiatric, neurological and cognitive disorders, and central pain must include a positive control unless the paper is on a disease where such a drug is not available yet. Papers focusing on physiological processes (e.g., peripheral pain mechanisms, body temperature regulation, seizure activity) are not accepted as we would like to retain the focus of Pharmacology Biochemistry & Behavior on behavior and its interaction with the biochemistry and neurochemistry of the central nervous system. Papers describing the effects of plant materials are generally not considered, unless the active ingredients are studied, the extraction method is well described, the doses tested are known, and clear and definite experimental evidence on the mechanism of action of the active ingredients is provided.