New Israeli Research May Aid Quitting Smokers

December 16, 2013

2 min read

“Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently…” (Deuteronomy 4:9)

(Photo: Wiki Commons; Tomasz Sienicki)
(Photo: Wiki Commons; Tomasz Sienicki)

New research out of Ben Gurion University in Be’er Sheva suggests magnets may be used to help smokers quit.  A study presented at the Neuroscience 2013 conference in November showed transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) may be useful in reducing cravings and ultimately helping smokers quit successfully.

In the study, 115 participants were divided into three groups: one group received high-frequency TMS, one group, low-frequency TMS, and one group received no treatment, over the course of thirteen days.  By the end of the six-month study, the participants in the high-frequency group experienced the greatest reduction in overall smoking activity, and were more likely to have quit altogether.  Those in that group who were shown pictures of a lit cigarette following the TMS sessions achieved the greatest results, with fully one third quitting within the six months of the study.

The magnetic fields were applied to the two parts of the brain associated with nicotine addiction, the lateral prefrontal cortex (LPFC) and the insula.  The researchers argue the magnets may be changing the brain’s hardwired response to smoking “cues”.

Dr. Abraham Zangen, one of the researchers leading the study, said,  “Our research shows us that we may actually be able to undo some of the changes to the brain caused by chronic smoking.

“We know that many smokers want to quit or smoke less and this could help put a dent in the number one cause of preventable deaths.”

These results are preliminary, and the study has not yet been peer-reviewed.  However, it looks promising and is especially exciting because it does not depend on drugs to treat addiction.

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