Effect of subcutaneous nicotine injections on EEG alpha frequency in non-smokers: a placebo-controlled pilot study

Abstract

The effect of two subcutaneous injections of 0.6 mg nicotine, administered 40 min apart, was compared with placebo in four non-smoking subjects in a counter-balanced double-blind crossover design. The nicotine injections produced mean peak plasma nicotine concentrations of 5.3 ng/ml 10 min after the first injection and 8.5 ng/ml 10 min after the second injection. The nicotine injections produced an increase in mean dominant alpha frequency on the electroencephalogram (EEG) which was 2 Hz greater than the effect of placebo (P = 0.049) and also produced a heart-rate boost which was 8 beats per minute greater than that produced by placebo (P = 0.022). These effects on dominant alpha frequency and heart rate were most apparent in the 10 min following each nicotine injection. The increase in dominant alpha frequency found in non-smokers in this study was similar to that following nicotine inhalation in abstinent smokers in previous studies, and suggests that this is a primary effect of nicotine, rather than simply a reversal of withdrawal-induced EEG slowing.

Cholinergic receptor subtypes and their role in cognition, emotion, and vigilance control: An overview of preclinical and clinical findings

“…Kadoya et al (1994) reported that an increase in plasma nicotine of more than 10 ng/ml leads to a significant decrease in alpha-1 and an increase in beta activity, whereas an increase of plasma nicotine of more than 15 ng/ml results in a significant decrease in delta activity. Foulds et al (1994) studied the effect of subcutaneous nicotine injections in non-smokers and found an increase in alpha frequency. Nicotine administered to Alzheimer's disease patients brought about a shift of EEG measures towards normal values, specifically a reduction of relative delta and theta power and an increase in relative alpha-1, alpha-2 and beta power (Knott et al 2000).…”

Psychophysiological and Subjective Effects of Cigarettes Having Varying Nicotine Yields But Relatively Constant Tar’ Yields

“…Changes in absolute power were not reported. Subcutaneously administered nicotine (two 0.6-mg injections 40 min apart) has also been reported to increase dominant alpha frequency in nonsmokers [20], A study by Robinson et al [21 ] indicated that the EEG and heart rate (HR) effects of smoking in abstaining smokers under resting conditions are largely a function of nicotine absorption. Robinson et al had subjects smoke 2 cigarettes following 48-hour abstention.…”

EEG Source Reconstruction in Male Nonsmokers after Nicotine Administration during the Resting State

“…A previous study in nonsmokers [19] investigated whether nicotine would impact EEG brain activity during the EO resting state. The authors found a significant increase in single-subject dominant α (namely, the highest spectral power within the 8- to 13-Hz range) induced by nicotine.…”