Retrospective study: Influence of menstrual cycle on cue-induced cigarette craving

Abstract

Cigarettes acquire reinforcing properties from nicotine and from cues associated with their intake. However, smoking in males and females may be reinforced differentially. Smoking in females is posited to be influenced more by cues whereas male smoking is influenced predominantly by the direct pharmacological actions of nicotine in the brain. Menstrual cycle phase may contribute to some of the sex differences observed in smokers. We hypothesized that females may report more intense craving to smoking cue exposure than males and, further, that female craving scores may be influenced by menstrual cycle phase. Thus, we reexamined previously collected cue exposure data with respect to sex and cycle phase. Self-report measures were collected from subjects prior to and immediately following exposure to visual smoking stimuli. The study included 69 male and 41 female treatment-seeking subjects who smoked more than 15 cigarettes per day for more than 10 years. Females were grouped according to cycle phase. Of the female subjects, 17 were classified as follicular phase females (FFemales) and 24 were classified as luteal phase females (LFemales). Change scores were calculated from the subjective data collected before and after stimulus presentation. Contrary to our hypothesis, overall, males and all females did not differ in their level of cue-induced craving; however, when females were separated into groups by cycle phase, FFemales reported significantly less craving than either males or LFemales (p<.05). The suppressed craving response in FFemales suggests an influence of cycle phase on cue-induced craving.

Menstrual Cycle Phase Effects in the Gender Dimorphic Stress Cue Reactivity of Smokers

“…To date, only two previous studies 15,16 have reported on the association between menstrual phase and craving. However, one of them 16 did not examine differences between female and male smokers and therefore, was not relevant to the present findings.…”

“…However, one of them 16 did not examine differences between female and male smokers and therefore, was not relevant to the present findings. The other study, by Franklin et al 15 , compared the smoking cue-elicited craving of treatment-seeking females (n = 41) and males (n = 69). The females were retrospectively grouped according to whether they received the laboratory CR assessment while they were in their follicular (n = 17) versus luteal (n = 24) menstrual cycle phase.…”

Effects of menstrual cycle phase on the reinforcing effects of phencyclidine (PCP) in rhesus monkeys

“…Nicotine withdrawal symptomology is more pronounced in women abstaining from smoking during the luteal phase (Perkins et al, 2000) or the late luteal phase (Allen et al, 2000;Allen et al, 1996) than those initiating abstinence during the follicular phase. Presentation of nicotine-associated cues induces greater levels of self-reported craving during the luteal phase than when presented during the follicular phase (Franklin et al, 2004).…”

Stress- and cue-induced cigarette craving: Effects of a family history of smoking

“…Large scale prospective studies are now needed to definitively elucidate the pathways from familial risk to stress-and cue-induced craving, to cessation failure in the context of a quit attempt. Additional studies to more closely examine modifiers of gender effects (e.g., phase of menstrual cycle (Franklin et al, 2004) are also warranted. The results of the study described here, however, provide critical support for the effects of family history on stress-and cue-induced craving, and provide a strong rationale for larger, prospective studies of the effects of family history, as well as related genetic and environmental factors on smoking cessation success.…”