Differences in Cognitive Task Performance, Reinforcement Enhancement, and Nicotine Dependence Between Menthol and Nonmenthol Cigarette Smokers

Abstract

Introduction Menthol has been shown to target similar brain regions and neural receptors as nicotine, yet the association between menthol cigarette use and cognitive performance remains unknown. Methods This study examined differences in cognitive task performance between menthol (MS) and non-menthol (NMS) cigarette smokers after acute cigarette consumption. Sixty White and Black/African American, non-abstinent, MS (n=30) and NMS (n=30) were assessed pre- and post-smoking their preferred cigarette on four computerized tasks: Continuous Performance Task (CPT; alerting attention), N-Back Task (working memory), Finger Tapping Task (motor control), and Apple Picker Task (reinforcement enhancement). Self-reported nicotine dependence and objective smoking topography measures were also compared between groups. Results Initial unadjusted analyses showed a significant effect of cigarette type x time on CPT speed (p=.042), where MS improved while NMS group worsened in CPT speed after smoking. After controlling for baseline cigarette craving and cigarette nicotine levels, the effect of cigarette type x time for all cognitive outcomes was statistically non-significant (ps>.05). However, there remained a significant effect of cigarette type, where MS vs. NMS had poorer CPT (p=.046) and N-Back Task accuracy (p=.006) but faster N-Back speed (p=.039). There were no statistically significant differences between groups on reinforcement enhancement, nicotine dependence, or smoking behavior outcomes (ps>.05). Conclusions Contrary to our hypotheses, results did not find a significant effect of cigarette type on the change in cognitive performance after acute smoking in non-abstinent smokers. Further studies are needed to clarify the specific pharmacological effects of nicotine and menthol on cognitive functioning.