There are vaccines to prevent people from getting life-threatening diseases, such as influenza, polio, rubella, diphtheria, and more. The way it works is that a doctor injects microorganisms that resemble a disease-causing organism, but in a weakened state. The body's immune system fights off the organisms and becomes stronger against the real thing, should it show up.
Now researchers think they have found a way to vaccinate a person against nicotine addiction. It's not exactly a vaccine in the true sense of injecting a weakened version of adisease-causing agent into a patient. But it does stimulate the immune system to produce antibodies against nicotine.
Here's how it works: If a person who has been vaccinated smokes, the vaccine, called NicVAX, produces antibodies that attach to nicotine molecules. The antibodies prevent the nicotine from crossing over into the brain, where they would normally trigger stimulants such as dopamine, which provide smokers with a positive sensation. Without the positive sensation, the smoker should lose the desire to smoke.
Another good thing is that the antibodies remain in the bloodstream for several months, which could prevent relapse. The vaccine is currently in clinical trials, lead by associate professor Jonathan Henry from Michigan State University, and results are expected in 2012.
Analysis by Tracy Staedter
Photo: Comstock Images/Getty Images
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