Visualization award winner in Science – Nicotine addiction and molecule diffusion

The Nicotine molecules go through the lungs and into the bloodstream, before flooding nicotinic acetylcholine receptors near the ventral tegmental area. It blocks glia pickup of extracellualar glutamate, juicing the vta with more dopamine. Studies show that blocking beta2 acetylchonine receptors results in the loss of subjective reward from nicotine while blocking of beta 4 subunits results in loss of withdrawal related symptoms.

Source: Visualization award winner in Science – Nicotine addiction and molecule diffusion