Influence of nicotine on positive affect in anhedonic smokers.
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.
Cook
Jessica Werth
JW
University of Washington and Puget Sound Health Care System, Mental Health (7West), 1660 S. Columbian Way, Seattle, WA 98108, USA. jesswc@u.washington.edu
Spring
Bonnie
B
McChargue
Dennis
D
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*
D018722:Nicotinic Agonists; D009538:Nicotine