title: Effect of subcutaneous nicotine injections of 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.
authors.affiliation: Health Behaviour Unit, Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Foulds
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: McSorley
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sneddon
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Feyerabend
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Jarvis
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Russell
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000187:drug effects; D000513:Alpha Rhythm / Q000187:drug effects*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D008297:Male; D009538:Nicotine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D009538:Nicotine