Nicotine use in schizophrenia and disinhibition.
The role of personality in nicotine use has been little studied in patients with schizophrenia. The objectives of the present study were to compare impulsivity, sensation seeking and anhedonia in a group of schizophrenic patients with and without current cigarette smoking. One hundred patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder (DSM-III-R criteria) were assessed with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, the Fagerström Scale, the Barratt Impulsivity Scale, the Zuckerman Seeking Sensation Scale, and the Chapman Physical Anhedonia Scale. Among these patients, 67% were current smokers. The mean scores for sensation seeking were higher in the group of smokers than in the group of nonsmokers. The differences were found exclusively with the "disinhibition" subscale. No significant difference was found for impulsivity and physical anhedonia mean scores. The scores on the Sensation Seeking Scale were especially low in nonsmokers. Cigarette smoking could influence disinhibition and possibly help to normalize inhibition in schizophrenic patients.
Dervaux
Alain
A
Service de Psychiatrie, BP 27, Centre Hospitalier, F91401 Orsay, France. alaindervaux@wanadoo.fr
Baylé
Franck J
FJ
Laqueille
Xavier
X
Bourdel
Marie-Chantal
MC
Le Borgne
Michèle-Hélène
MH
Olié
Jean-Pierre
JP
Krebs
Marie-Odile
MO
D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D001143:Arousal; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D013223:Statistics as Topic