March 28, 2017
Keio University School of Medicine
A research group led by Kenji Miyamoto (Project Associate Professor, Endowed Chair for the Treatment of Advanced Motor System Disorders) of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, has revealed for the first time in the world through experiments using mice that the vagus nerve, an autonomic nerve, has the effect of reducing bone mass, and that nicotine, a component of tobacco, also has this effect.
The vagus nerve is an autonomic nerve of the parasympathetic nervous system. This study also revealed that the activity of this nerve increased osteoclasts by approximately 15% in experimental mice, reducing bone mass.
Nicotine is a component of tobacco ingested through smoking and is known to have various properties that affect the body. It has long been known that smoking is a risk factor for osteoporosis, but the mechanism was not clear. This study revealed that nicotine increases bone-resorbing osteoclasts, which in turn reduces bone mass.
This is considered an important discovery for bone management aimed at protecting bones from fracture, especially today, as the number of patients with osteoporosis and fractures resulting from it as an underlying condition continues to increase.
These research findings were published in the interdisciplinary general journal Scientific Reports on March 28, 2017.
For the full press release, please see below.