Depression and nicotine dependence from adolescence to young adulthood

Abstract

Introduction Despite the highly replicated relationship between depression and nicotine dependence, little is known about this association across both time and levels of lifetime smoking exposure. In the present study, we evaluate if symptoms of depression are associated with emerging nicotine dependence after accounting for smoking exposure and whether this relationship varies from adolescence to young adulthood and across increasing levels of smoking. Patients and Methods The sample was drawn from the Social and Emotional Contexts of Adolescent Smoking Patterns Study which measured smoking, nicotine dependence and depression over 6 assessment waves spanning 6 years. Analyses were based on repeated assessment of 941 participants reporting any smoking 30 days prior to individual assessment waves. Mixed-effects regression models were estimated to examine potential time and smoking exposure varying effects in the association between depression and nicotine dependence. Results Inter-individual differences in mean levels of depression and within subject changes in depression from adolescence to young adulthood were each significantly associated with nicotine dependence symptoms over and above lifetime smoking exposure. This association was consistent across both time and increasing levels of lifetime smoking. Discussion Depression is a consistent risk factor for nicotine dependence over and above exposure to cigarettes and this association can be demonstrated from the earliest experiences with smoking in adolescents through the establishment of more regular smoking patterns across the transition to young adulthood. Conclusion Depression remains a prominent risk factor for nicotine dependence, and youth with depression symptoms represent an important subgroup in need of targeted smoking intervention.

Associations of anxiety sensitivity and emotional symptoms with the subjective effects of alcohol, cigarettes, and cannabis in adolescents

“…Depressive symptoms were associated with fewer negative cigarette effects, which may account for high comorbidity between depression and tobacco dependence (Dierker, et al, 2015). At first glance this may seem to contrast with the finding that depressive symptoms were associated with more negative cannabis effects.…”

Targets of polyamine dysregulation in major depression and suicide: Activity-dependent feedback, excitability, and neurotransmission

“…Downregulation of homomeric α7 receptors or heteromeric nAChRs containing the β2 subunit in the amygdala mimics the effects of antidepressants (Mineur et al, 2015). Moreover, depressive symptoms and nicotine dependence are strongly associated across age and duration of lifetime smoking exposure (Dierker et al, 2015). It is still not clear however whether the association between MDD and nicotine-dependence results from one causing the other, or from shared neurobiological circuitry.…”

Age-varying associations between substance use behaviors and depressive symptoms during adolescence and young adulthood

“…Conversely, among individuals with lifetime MDD, 30% have nicotine dependence, 21% have alcohol dependence, and 6% have other drug dependence (Hasin et al, 2005). The comorbidity with depression has been found to be robust across substances, with the link between smoking and depression being particularly well-documented (Dierker et al, 2015; Kassel et al, 2003). The smoking – depression association holds for various classifications of smokers (e.g., ever, regular, and heavy smokers; Husky et al, 2008; Payne et al, 2013) as well as various stages of the smoking trajectory (Audrain-McGovern et al, 2011; Dierker and Donny, 2008; McKenzie et al, 2010; Leventhal et al, 2012).…”

“…Poulin et al (2005) found that the association between heavy episodic drinking (HED) and depression varied by age for females but not males. A recent study regarding nicotine dependence and depression found that this association was constant across adolescence and young adulthood (Dierker et al, 2015). …”