Effects of acute nicotine on event-related potential and performance indices of auditory distraction in nonsmokers.
BACKGROUND
Although nicotine has been purported to enhance attentional processes, this has been evidenced mostly in tasks of sustained attention, and its effects on selective attention and attentional control under conditions of distraction are less convincing.


METHODS
This study investigated the effects of nicotine on distractibility in 21 (11 males) nonsmokers with event-related potentials (ERPs) and behavioral performance measures extracted from an auditory discrimination task requiring a choice reaction time response to short- and long-duration tones, with and without imbedded deviants. Administered in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover design, nicotine gum (6 mg) failed to counter deviant-elicited behavioral distraction characterized by longer reaction times and increased response errors.


RESULTS
Of the deviant-elicited ERP components, nicotine did not alter the P3a-indexed attentional switching to the deviant, but in females, it tended to diminish the automatic processing of the deviant as shown by a smaller mismatch negativity component, and it attenuated attentional reorienting following deviant-elicited distraction, as reflected by a reduced reorienting negativity ERP component.


CONCLUSIONS
Results are discussed in relation to attentional models of nicotine and with respect to future research directions.
Knott
Verner J
VJ
Clinical Neuroelectrophysiology and Cognitive Research Laboratory, University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research, Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre, 1145 Carling Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario K1Z 7K4, Canada. vknott@rohcg.on.ca
Bolton
Kiley
K
Heenan
Adam
A
Shah
Dhrasti
D
Fisher
Derek J
DJ
Villeneuve
Crystal
C
D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention / Q000187:drug effects*; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009538:Nicotine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010919:Placebos; D011930:Reaction Time; D055815:Young Adult
D010919:Placebos; D009538:Nicotine