Differences in Brain Volume and Thickness between Shammah (Smokeless Tobacco) Users and Non-Users: A Cross-Sectional...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Neuroimaging
• Public Health

Background:

• Smoking tobacco is known to affect brain structure, causing reduced brain volume and cortical thickness.
• The impact of smokeless tobacco, such as shammah, on brain structure remains largely unexamined.
• Shammah is a popular nicotine-containing smokeless tobacco in Middle Eastern countries.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if shammah use is associated with differences in brain volume and cortical thickness compared to non-users.
• To assess how shammah quantity and type influence these potential brain structural changes.

Main Methods:

• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to scan male shammah users and non-users.
• Brain volumes and cortical thicknesses were quantified using FreeSurfer software.
• Demographic data including age and shammah usage patterns were collected.

Main Results:

• Shammah users showed significant differences in the volume of the pallidum, ventricles, corpus callosum, and brainstem compared to non-users.
• Yellow shammah users had smaller volumes in the lateral ventricles and putamen compared to users of other shammah types.
• Significant differences in cortical thickness were observed in the medial orbito-frontal, rostral middle frontal, and rostral anterior cingulate regions.

Conclusions:

• Shammah use, particularly yellow shammah, is associated with notable alterations in brain structure.
• These findings suggest potential neurobiological effects of smokeless tobacco consumption.
• Further research is warranted to fully understand the long-term implications of shammah use on brain health.