To investigate the effect of heated-cigarette smoking on voice.

Participants completed a survey including three sections: section-1 comprised demographic data, section-2 comprised visual analogue scale grading of voice changes and fatigue and section-3 consisted of the voice handicap index-10.

Two hundred and eighty-two participants filled the survey. Heated-cigarette smokers had a significantly higher mean voice handicap index-10 score compared to non-smokers (p < 0.05). The difference in voice handicap index-10 scores between heated- and combustion-cigarette smokers was not statistically significant. The number of abnormal voice handicap index-10 scores was higher in heated-cigarette smokers compared to non-smokers (p < 0.05) and significantly higher in combustion-cigarette and dual heated- and combustion-cigarette smokers compared to the other 2 groups (p < 0.05). Non-smokers had significantly lower grades of voice changes and fatigue when compared to combustion and dual heated- and combustion-cigarette smokers (p < 0.05).

Smokers of heated cigarettes have a significantly higher mean voice handicap index-10 score compared to non-smokers and higher grade of voice changes and fatigue.

More than half patients with schizophrenia are smokers. Heavy smoking has been correlated to more severe positive symptoms, a higher number of hospitalizations and a less efficiency of antipsychotics. Unfortunately, abstinence is difficult to achieve in these patients, therefore it is importance of understanding the link between smoking and psychosis.

Analyzing the complex relationship between schizophrenia and nicotine’s effects on the human brain.

The study was a review of literature over the past 10 years based on the pubmed database.

Smoking might be a precipitating factor in the development of schizophrenia since it preceded the onset of this illness for several years.Shared genetic background was also emphasized establishing a complex biological link between nicotine and schizophrenia.

In another approach, the “self-medication hypothesis” has been proposed suggesting a beneficial effect of nicotine on both cognitive impairment and negative symptoms in schizophrenia, related to the regulation of the dopamine and nicotinic receptor systems. But this conclusion is controversial since other studies concluded to a more neurocognitive impairment in smokers compared to controlled population.

Smoking in schizophrenia is a complex “phenomenon” that remains, so far, misunderstood. Greater differences might exist between heavy and light smokers making it more difficult to point out the exact effect of nicotine on the brain. Smoking cessation therapies taking into account the specificity of patients with schizophrenia should be more developed.

No significant relationships.

Cigarette smoking is associated with worse cognition and decreased cortical volume and thickness in healthy cohorts. Chronic cigarette smoking is prevalent in schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD), but the effects of smoking status on the brain and cognition in SSD are not clear. This study aimed to understand whether cognitive performance and brain morphology differed between smoking and non-smoking individuals with SSD compared to healthy controls.

Data were obtained from the Australian Schizophrenia Research Bank. Cognitive functioning was measured in 299 controls and 455 SSD patients. Cortical volume, thickness and surface area data were analysed from T1-weighted structural scans obtained in a subset of the sample (n = 82 controls, n = 201 SSD). Associations between smoking status (cigarette smoker/non-smoker), cognition and brain morphology were tested using analyses of covariance, including diagnosis as a moderator.

No smoking by diagnosis interactions were evident, and no significant differences were revealed between smokers and non-smokers across any of the variables measured, with the exception of a significantly thinner left posterior cingulate in smokers compared to non-smokers. Several main effects of smoking in the cognitive, volume and thickness analyses were initially significant but did not survive false discovery rate (FDR) correction.

Despite the general absence of significant FDR-corrected findings, trend-level effects suggest the possibility that subtle smoking-related effects exist but were not uncovered due to low statistical power. An investigation of this topic is encouraged to confirm and expand on our findings.

The US Navy utilizes numerous resources to encourage smoking cessation. Despite these efforts, cigarette smoking among service members remains high. Electronic cigarettes (EC) have provided an additional cessation resource. Little is known regarding the utilization efficacy of these cessation resources in the US Navy.

This study sought to explore the utilization and efficacy of ECs and other smoking cessation resources.

An anonymous cross-sectional survey was conducted at a military clinic from 2015 to 2016. Participants were active duty in the US Navy and reported demographics, smoking behaviors, and utilization of cessation resources.

Of the 977 participants in the study, 14.9% were current and 39.4% were former smokers. Most current smokers (83.6%) previously attempted cessation, smoked an average of 2–5 cigarettes per day (34.7%), and smoked every day of the month (26.4%). The number of daily cigarettes smoked and number of days cigarettes were smoked per month was not significantly different between cigarette-only smokers and EC dual users (p = 0.92, p = 0.75, respectively). Resources used by current and former smokers include: ‘cold turkey’ (44.6%, 57.1%, respectively), ECs (22.3%, 24.7%), nicotine patch (8.3%, 1.3%), medicine (6.6%, 3.9%), nicotine gum (5.8%, 10.4%), and quit programs (2.5%, 2.6).

Current and former cigarette smokers utilized similar resources to quit smoking. Electronic cigarettes are being used for cessation but do not significantly reduce the number of cigarettes smoked on a daily or monthly basis. Future studies may benefit from exploring the use of cessation resources and ECs within the military as a whole.

The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) proposes aligning nicotine use disorder (NUD) criteria with those for other substances, by including the current DSM fourth edition (DSM-IV) nicotine dependence (ND) criteria, three abuse criteria (neglect roles, hazardous use, interpersonal problems) and craving. Although NUD criteria indicate one latent trait, evidence is lacking on: (1) validity of each criterion; (2) validity of the criteria as a set; (3) comparative validity between DSM-5 NUD and DSM-IV ND criterion sets; and (4) NUD prevalence.

Nicotine criteria (DSM-IV ND, abuse and craving) and external validators (e.g. smoking soon after awakening, number of cigarettes per day) were assessed with a structured interview in 734 lifetime smokers from an Israeli household sample. Regression analysis evaluated the association between validators and each criterion. Receiver operating characteristic analysis assessed the association of the validators with the DSM-5 NUD set (number of criteria endorsed) and tested whether DSM-5 or DSM-IV provided the most discriminating criterion set. Changes in prevalence were examined.

Each DSM-5 NUD criterion was significantly associated with the validators, with strength of associations similar across the criteria. As a set, DSM-5 criteria were significantly associated with the validators, were significantly more discriminating than DSM-IV ND criteria, and led to increased prevalence of binary NUD (two or more criteria) over ND.

All findings address previous concerns about the DSM-IV nicotine diagnosis and its criteria and support the proposed changes for DSM-5 NUD, which should result in improved diagnosis of nicotine disorders.