Nicotine breaks down nerve-cell membranes in the brains of young people, research shows, adding to evidence that nicotine addiction can be "hard-wired" at an early age, the Ivanhoe Newswire reported Oct. 18.

Young and middle-aged test subjects were exposed to nicotine by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center; scientists found that the younger subjects experience brain changes that could make addiction more likely in adulthood.

Male test subjects appeared particularly likely to have their brain cells altered by nicotine exposure.

The research was presented at the Neuroscience 2006 conference in Atlanta, held Oct. 14-18.