title: Influence of nicotine on positive affect in anhedonic smokers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The possibility that individuals administer nicotine to self-regulate persistent negative affect has received interest as a possible explanation for the high prevalence of affectively vulnerable smokers. Relatively overlooked, however, is the possibility that smokers might also self-administer nicotine to elevate low positive affect.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study examined whether nicotine administration augmented anhedonic smokers' positive affective response to a positive mood induction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty regular smokers (50% female) underwent two positive mood inductions during which they smoked either a nicotinized or denicotinized cigarette in counterbalanced order. Positive affect was assessed before and at two time points after smoking.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Random effects regression showed a significant anhedonia by condition-by-time interaction [t(181)=-2.01, p = 0.04], supporting the hypothesis that anhedonia moderated nicotine's effect on changes in positive affect. Simple effect analyses showed a significant condition-by-time interaction among high anhedonic smokers [t(91)= 2.47, p = 0.01] but not among less anhedonic smokers [t(91)= 0.34, p = 0.73].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Smoking nicotine vs placebo heightened anhedonic smokers' ability to be induced into a positive mood, whereas nicotine had no effect on more hedonic smokers' positive mood.
authors.affiliation: University of Washington and Puget Sound Health Care System, Mental Health (7West), 1660 S. Columbian Way, Seattle, WA 98108, USA. jesswc@u.washington.edu
authors.forename: Jessica Werth
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.forename: Bonnie
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Spring
authors.forename: Dennis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: McChargue
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000187:drug effects*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009538:Nicotine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012646:Self Administration; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology*
chemical_list: D018722:Nicotinic Agonists; D009538:Nicotine