Nicotine: A cure for obesity?

A new study suggests it is possible to get the appetite-suppressing benefits of smoking without the cigarette... or the health risks

Nicotine has been known to suppress the appetite, but now scientists may have figured out a way to isolate the weight loss part of the drug from health risk part.
(Image credit: Paul Hardy/CORBIS)

Many cigarette smokers have shed extra pounds through their otherwise-unhealthy nicotine habit. But now, scientists have identified and isolated the pathways in the brain that are affected by nicotine's appetite suppressants. The research, published in the journal Science, might lead to the development of a healthy, nicotine-based treatment to control obesity. Here, a short guide to the findings:

How did the researchers make their discovery?

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