Summary
Based on the provided context, here are the key findings about the sensory aspects of e-cigarette use and the effects of flavors, particularly menthol:
1. The US is currently experiencing a "teen vaping epidemic."
2. The review discusses the sensory implications of e-cigarette additives and their impact on nicotine use, focusing on the oronasal sensory contributions of e-cigarette additives.
3. Menthol is a common additive in e-cigarettes and is one of the most popular flavors across age groups.
4. Menthol can exist as different stereoisomers, but naturally occurring menthol is largely L-menthol with small amounts of D-menthol and other isomers.
5. Menthol has direct pharmacological actions in the central nervous system that may impact nicotine use, such as altering ventral tegmental area dopamine neuron excitability, upregulating nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (naChRs), slowing nicotine metabolism, and becoming a predictive, conditioned cue for nicotine reward.
6. Some studies have found that menthol, delivered intraperitoneally, affects behavioral assays, suggesting that menthol may influence nicotine use.
In summary, the review provides an in-depth analysis of the sensory aspects of e-cigarette use, with a focus on the powerful influence of additives, particularly menthol, on nicotine use. The findings suggest that menthol has direct pharmacological actions in the central nervous system that may impact nicotine use and that menthol-containing e-cigarettes are popular across age groups. however, there are existing gaps in the field, and future research is needed to better understand the influence of these additives on nicotine use.
Citation
Johnson NL, Patten T, Ma M, De Biasi M, Wesson DW. Chemosensory Contributions of E-Cigarette additives on Nicotine Use. Frontiers in neuroscience. 2022;16:893587. doi:10.3389/fnins.2022.893587
