Reinforcing effects of nicotine as a function of smoking status.
The authors compared acute nicotine self-administration among 4 groups varying in current or past dependence: dependent smokers, nondependent smokers, ex-smokers who had quit at least 1 year ago, and nonsmokers. Nicotine (0 vs. 12 microg/kg/8 sprays) available by nasal spray was self-administered with a choice procedure. Self-administration also was related to participant characteristics (sex, alcohol and caffeine intake, sensation-seeking score) and to subjective responses to initial nicotine spray exposure. Nicotine self-administration was similar between dependent and nondependent smokers but was greater in those groups than in ex-smokers and nonsmokers, who did not differ from each other. Self-administration was unrelated to most other participant characteristics. In nonsmokers, self-administration was related directly to pleasurable effects but inversely to aversive effects. Few effects were related to self-administration in the other groups.
Perkins
K A
KA
Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburg School of Medicine, Pennsylvania 15213, USA. perkinska@msx.upmc.edu
Gerlach
D
D
Broge
M
M
Fonte
C
C
Wilson
A
A
D000281:Administration, Intranasal; D000328:Adult; D005106:Exploratory Behavior; D005260:Female; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D008297:Male; D009538:Nicotine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012907:Smoking / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000523:psychology
D018722:Nicotinic Agonists; D009538:Nicotine