Deniz Bagdas, DVM, PhD, research scientist in psychiatry, presented an invited talk, “Distinct Patterns and Challenges of Nicotine Addiction in Women: Insights from Clinical and Preclinical Research” on January 15, 2025 at the National Institute on Drug Abuse Women and Sex and Gender Differences Workgroup.
Bagdas began by discussing sex-specific nicotine use patterns, comparing women and men, and highlighting distinct behavioral differences. Key topics included the role of flavored nicotine products, the physiological influences of ovarian hormones, and the impact of negative affect on nicotine use behaviors.
She then explored the intersection of chronic pain and nicotine addiction, emphasizing how chronic pain, often comorbid with nicotine use, disproportionately affects women. The topics were examined through the lens of both clinical and preclinical research, highlighting the need for integrative, sex-specific approaches to addressing these challenges.
Bagdas is a co-investigator at the Yale Center for the Study of Tobacco Product Use and Addiction (Yale TCORS) and is a Principal Investigator on a K01 award entitled “Involvement of dopamine signaling in chronic pain-induced negative affective state and nicotine use comorbidity."
Her research focuses on the role of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in addiction, pain, and inflammation, the causal mechanisms linking chronic pain and addiction, and the impact of tobacco product constituents on nicotine addiction. She emphasizes sex differences throughout her work to guide the development of personalized cessation methods and treatment strategies, particularly for women and individuals with chronic pain, who face unique vulnerabilities in overcoming nicotine addiction.