Role of impulsivity in addiction to common forms of tobacco addiction: is impulsiveness a risk factor

Background and Aim : Tobacco consumption, in different ways, is a global problem because chronic abuse of tobacco products may cause health problems, including cancer, lung diseases, and cardiovascular diseases. The main psychoactive compound in the tobacco leaves that leads to tobacco addiction is nicotine. Tobacco consumption in the form of smoking is more common than other forms because smoking is an efficient form of nicotine delivery to the brain. Previous research indicates that many environmental and genetic factors are involved in addiction. Among these factors is impulsivity that is a heritable trait. Impulsivity can be defined with some traits: to make risky decisions and the preference for instant rewards, so the impulsive persons tend to choose a low, but quick reward against larger and late rewards. Considering the role of impulsivity in different forms of behavioral and substance addictions, the present review conducted to summarize current knowledge about the role of impulsivity in tobacco smokingMethods : The methods for collecting scientific information about the present question was searching the databases (ISI Web of science, PubMed, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect) for the various combinations of the words, addiction, substance abuse, nicotine, tobacco and impulsivity.Results : There are many studies showing a positive association between impulsivity and cigarette smoking; based on this evidence impulsiveness is a risk factor for tobacco addiction. For example, in populations of psychoactive disorders like ADHD and schizophrenia the individuals are more impulsive and smoke with a higher rate than the normal population individuals. Contrary to cigarette smoking, it seems that impulsivity has a negative association with the water-pipe smoking; the more impulsive persons, compared to the less impulsive ones, tend to use water-pipe to less extent.Conclusion : impulsiveness differently affects the various forms of tobacco smoking.

Keywords:

Impulsivity , Nicotine , Addiction