Short-term effects of nicotine gum on facial detection in healthy nonsmokers: a pilot randomized controlled trial.

Objective: The main purpose of this study was to investigate short-term effects of nicotine gum on facial detection. Methods: Fourteen participants (mean age = 26.8 years, SD = 2.5 years; eight males) were enrolled in this pilot randomized controlled trial of nicotine gum administration (placebo, 2-mg and 4-mg doses). The participants were instructed to detect the location of a face when it was presented in a face/nonface pair on the screen. A repeated multivariate analysis of variance was conducted to analyze the results for reaction time and discrimination index. Demographics were used to explore significant association on facial detection. Bayesian analyses were also carried out considering maximum robustness to avoid bias. Results: The results indicated that the 2-mg dose resulted in faster reaction time and better discrimination than the 4-mg dose (p < 0.001). The 4-mg dose resulted in slower reaction time and lower discrimination index compared to both placebo (p < 0.01) and 2-mg doses (p < 0.001). Demographic data were not related to the outcomes. Conclusions: The results indicate that nicotine improved facial detection, but only at low doses (i.e., 2-mg), following a U-shaped curve. We trust future studies will continue to advance this research field, and if further work supports these preliminary findings, nicotine can act as therapeutic target in populations such as those with low vision.

Complete and isolated congenital aglossia: case report and treatment of sequelae using rapid prototyping models.

Aglossia is a rare anomaly caused by failed embryogenesis of the lateral lingual swellings and tuberculum impar from the fourth to eighth gestational weeks. Most cases of aglossia and hypoglossia reported in the literature were associated with limb deformities, cleft palate, deafness, situs inversus, and several syndromes, such as Moebius, Pierre Robin, and Hanhart. This report describes the case of a 14-year-old girl with complete aglossia. As the tongue plays an important role in facial growth, this patient had dentofacial deformities that affected the mandible in particular. She also had severe malocclusion and agenesis of permanent mandibular incisors. Thyroid dysfunction, recently associated with aglossia, was not observed. The use of rapid prototyping models of the jaws as an aid to osteogenic distraction of the mandibular symphysis is also described.