A study conducted by the University of Gothenburg has found that adolescents who use nicotine are more likely to experience symptoms of anxiety, depression, and other mental health problems. The research, which involved nearly 3,000 Swedish high school students, suggests that adolescent girls who use nicotine may be particularly vulnerable. Almost 80 per cent of girls who used nicotine reported clinically significant symptoms of anxiety.
The study also found that the association between nicotine use and anxiety was found among users of both traditional tobacco products and newer tobacco-free nicotine products, including nicotine pouches and e-cigarettes. Researchers followed about 1,500 adolescents in southern Sweden from lower secondary school through high school and found that depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts were more common among adolescents who smoked.
Girls whose tobacco use increased over time were also more likely to experience worsening sleep problems, anxiety, low mood, and difficulties concentrating. According to Johanna Andersson, a physician and PhD student at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, the differences between boys and girls warranted further investigation. She noted that girls who smoke appeared to be particularly vulnerable.
The studies combined questionnaire-based research and long-term follow-up of adolescents with laboratory experiments examining nicotine's effects on the brain. In an animal study published in Neuropharmacology, researchers found that nicotine affected the amygdala, a brain region involved in emotional regulation and responses to stress. The effects were particularly pronounced in female rats.
Nicotine also altered communication between neurons and caused lasting changes in brain activity that remained after the substance had left the body. According to Professor Louise Adermark of the Sahlgrenska Academy, similar patterns were observed across the different studies. She stressed that the research does not establish a direct cause-and-effect relationship between nicotine use and mental health problems.
However, Adermark noted that 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 multiple factors, including socioeconomic circumstances, stress, alcohol consumption, other substance use, and individual vulnerability, influence mental health and nicotine use.
Nevertheless, the findings raise concerns about the effects of nicotine on the developing adolescent brain, particularly as newer products become increasingly available. Further research will be needed to determine whether girls are especially sensitive to nicotine's effects and to clarify the long-term mental health implications of products such as nicotine pouches and e-cigarettes.
Key points
- Adolescent girls who use nicotine are more likely to experience anxiety and depression than their peers who do not use nicotine.
- The study found that nicotine use was associated with symptoms of anxiety and depression in both traditional tobacco products and newer tobacco-free nicotine products.
- The research suggests that girls who smoke may be particularly vulnerable to the effects of nicotine on mental health.
