According to the authors of a study from New Haven, Connecticut, "Sex differences exist in the reinforcing effects of nicotine, smoking cessation rates, and response to nicotine therapies. Sex differences in availability of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors containing the beta(2) subunit (beta(2)*-nAChRs) may underlie differential nicotine and tobacco smoking effects and related behaviors in women vs men."
"To examine beta(2)*-nAChR availability in male and female smokers vs nonsmokers and to determine associations among beta(2)*-nAChR availability, tobacco smoking characteristics, and female sex steroid hormone levels. Male (n = 26) and female (n = 28) tobacco smokers participated in an iodide 123-labeled 5-iodo-A-85380 ([I-123]5-IA) single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging session at 7 to 9 days of...