Nicotine chewing gum (2 mg, 4 mg) and cigarette smoking: comparative effects upon vigilance and heart rate.
Sixteen male smokers, abstinent the morning before testing, were assessed under four conditions: placebo chewing gum, 2 mg nicotine chewing gum, 4 mg nicotine gum, and cigarette smoking. Placebo gum was administered in the cigarette condition, while sham smoking occurred in the gum conditions. Pre-drug administration and post-drug difference scores were calculated for each assessment measure: rapid visual information processing (RVIP), memory for new information, and heart rate. Nicotine raised heart rate in a significant monotonic dose-related manner (P less than 0.001): placebo +0.2; 2 mg gum +5.1; 4 mg gum +9.8; cigarette +17.5 bpm. Rapid visual information processing target detections were also significantly related to dose (P less than 0.01), with this increased vigilance significant under 4 mg nicotine gum and cigarette smoking. Memory task performance was not significantly affected. Self-reported feelings of alertness/energy were higher while smoking than under placebo or 4 mg gum. Complaints about the taste of the 4 mg nicotine gum were frequent.
Parrott
A C
AC
Department of Psychology, North East London Polytechnic, UK.
Winder
G
G
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention / Q000187:drug effects*; D002638:Chewing Gum; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000187:drug effects; D009538:Nicotine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012907:Smoking / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*
D002638:Chewing Gum; D009538:Nicotine