New findings in eLife showed that daily use of e-cigarettes may alter the inflammatory state among numerous organs including the brain.
The study is the first of its kind to assess JUUL devices and how the varying e-cigarette flavors may affect the body.
“In this study we investigated the impact of inhalation of aerosols produced from pod-based, flavored e-cigarettes (JUUL) aerosols three times daily for 3 months on inflammatory markers in the brain, lung, heart, and colon,” the authors wrote in their study.
“JUUL aerosol exposure induced upregulation of cytokine and chemokine gene expression and increased HMGB1 and RAGE in the nucleus accumbens in the central nervous system.”
The study’s authors described in their findings how e-cigarettes may cause neuroinflammation, resulting in the onset of affective disorders and behavioral changes.
“Our findings suggest that daily e-cigarette use may cause neuroinflammation, which may contribute to behavioral changes and mood disorders,” the study states. “In addition, e-cigarette use may cause gut inflammation, which has been tied to poor systemic health, and cardiac inflammation, which leads to cardiovascular disease.”
