The acute effects of nicotine on the subjective and behavioural responses to denicotinized tobacco in dependent smokers

Abstract

Both nicotine and various non-nicotine smoking factors are believed to contribute to tobacco addiction but their relative roles remain incompletely understood. This study aimed to help clarify these roles by examining acute interactions between nicotine and denicotinized tobacco (DT). During two randomized blinded sessions, the effects of a quick-release 4 mg nicotine lozenge (NL) versus placebo lozenge (PL) on the subjective and behavioural responses to DT were examined in 27 (14 men) dependent, daily smokers. Participants were administered NL or PL for 30 min before receiving one initial DT cigarette. Participants could then earn additional DT cigarette puffs over the following 60 min. Subjective state was assessed using the Questionnaire of Smoking Urges-Brief and visual analogue scales at baseline, postlozenge and postinitial DT cigarette. Relative to PL, NL was associated with increased alertness as well as with reduced levels of DT self-administration (P<0.01). The administration of a single DT cigarette was followed by a reduction in craving under both lozenge conditions (P<0.001), an effect that was significantly greater in women (P<0.01). Moreover, DT administration was associated with increased ratings of 'pleasant', 'satisfied', 'stimulated' and 'relaxed', as well as with decreased ratings of 'anxious' (P's<0.01), independent of lozenge condition. The findings suggest that both nicotine and non-nicotine smoking factors may make important contributions towards the addictive properties of tobacco.

‘Vaping’ profiles and preferences: an online survey of electronic cigarette users

“…Although females did not opt for higher strength fluid, they were more likely to agree that the e-cigarette reduced their cigarette cravings. These observations resonate with the findings that, relative to males, females are less sensitive to the interoceptive effects of nicotine [16] and more responsive to nonnicotine, sensorimotor aspects of smoking [7,13,17].…”

The acute effects of tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption on video-lottery terminal gambling

“…Alternatively, it is possible that a combination of nicotine and non-nicotine tobacco constituents is necessary for nicotine to exert an effect on gambling behavior. A growing body of evidence suggests that non-nicotine tobacco ingredients contribute to the addictive properties of tobacco and interact with nicotine to produce tobacco's reinforcing effects (e.g., Barrett, 2010;Barrett and Darredeau, 2012;Clemens et al, 2009;Harris et al, 2010) and it is possible that nicotine-containing tobacco use rather than nicotine per se increases gambling behavior. Finally, because tobacco addicted gamblers likely had considerable previous experience pairing cigarette smoking with VLT gambling, it is possible that cigarette smoking rather than the pharmacological actions of nicotine themselves have come to serve as a conditioned cue for gambling through associative learning processes (see Crombag et al, 2008).…”

“…However, in two recent studies the acute administration of nicotine via inhalers (McGrath et al, 2012b) and lozenges (McGrath et al, 2013) did not impact upon VLT gambling behavior or the desire to gamble. Since the pharmacokinetics of nicotine delivery from inhalers and lozenges differs from nicotine administered through tobacco smoke (Benowitz et al, 2009;Schneider et al, 2008) and since there is growing evidence that nicotine may interact with various non-nicotine tobacco constituents to produce many of the subjective and behavioral effects of smoking (e.g., Barrett, 2010;Barrett and Darredeau, 2012;Clemens et al, 2009;Harris et al, 2010), it remains possible that McGrath et al's negative findings may not extend to the acute administration of tobacco smoke per se.…”

First‐ versus second‐generation electronic cigarettes: predictors of choice and effects on urge to smoke and withdrawal symptoms

“…Cigarette related cues such as visual appearance, sight/smell of smoke, or manipulation of a cigarette in the hand, over the course of a smoker's history, are repeatedly paired with the primary reinforcer, nicotine. Via this process of classical conditioning, such cues can become powerful secondary reinforcers, capable of providing some pleasure and alleviation of craving and WS themselves [31] which may explain some smoker's preference for a cigarette-like device. By contrast, almost half (45%) of those selecting the second generation device did so because it did not resemble a cigarette.…”