New research indicates that nicotine exposure, including from e-cigarettes and pouches, may heighten the risk of anxiety and depression, particularly in girls.
RT’s Three Key Takeaways:
- Elevated Anxiety Risk: Nearly 80% of adolescent girls who use nicotine products reported clinically relevant symptoms of anxiety in a study of 3,000 high school students.
- Neurological Impact: Animal studies suggest that nicotine alters neuronal signaling in the amygdala, a brain region responsible for emotional regulation, causing changes that persist after the substance leaves the body.
- Vulnerability Across Products: The association between nicotine and mental health problems was found in users of both traditional tobacco and tobacco-free products, such as nicotine pouches and e-cigarettes.
Adolescents who use nicotine are more likely to report symptoms of anxiety, depression, and other mental health problems than their peers who do not use the substance, according to three recent studies from the University of Gothenburg.
Girls appear to be particularly vulnerable to these effects. In one study involving nearly 3,000 Swedish high school students, almost 80% of girls who used nicotine reported clinically relevant symptoms of anxiety. The researchers noted that these associations exist for both traditional tobacco products and tobacco-free nicotine products, including nicotine pouches and e-cigarettes.
The research team also conducted a long-term follow-up of approximately 1,500 adolescents in southern Sweden, tracking them from lower secondary school through high school. Findings showed that depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation were more common among adolescents who smoked.
Furthermore, girls who increased their tobacco use over time were more likely to experience worsening sleep problems, anxiety, low mood, and difficulties concentrating. The researchers stated that the distinct differences between girls and boys require further investigation.
“We see clear differences between girls and boys, with girls who smoke appearing to be particularly vulnerable,” said Johanna Andersson, physician and PhD student at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg. “At the same time, we need a better understanding of how nicotine pouches affect mental health, especially among adolescent girls, where the use of nicotine pouches has increased so rapidly.”
The findings were supported by experiments in rats examining how nicotine affects neuronal signaling. In the animal study, published in the journal Neuropharmacology, researchers found that nicotine affected the amygdala, a brain region that plays a key role in emotional regulation and stress responses.
The study revealed that nicotine altered communication between neurons and produced long-lasting changes in brain activity that persisted even after the nicotine had left the body. These effects were most pronounced in female rats.
“One of the key findings is that we see similar patterns across several different studies using different types of data,” said Louise Adermark, professor at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg. “However, we still cannot determine cause and effect. The animal studies demonstrate biological changes in the brain that could contribute to increased vulnerability to anxiety and stress-related symptoms.”
The researchers noted that while socioeconomic factors, alcohol use, and individual vulnerability also influence the risk of mental health problems, the findings raise significant questions regarding how new nicotine products affect the developing brain.
