title: The role of nicotine content information in smokers' subjective responses to nicotine and placebo inhalers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A growing body of evidence suggests that non-pharmacological factors may play an important role in smoking cessation outcomes using nicotine replacement therapies. This study examined the role of information about nicotine content in smokers' subjective responses to nicotine and placebo inhalers, using the four conditions of the balanced-placebo design in a mixed within/between-subjects design.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-four adult smokers (12 male) completed two laboratory sessions following overnight abstinence from smoking. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either nicotine inhalers or placebo inhalers in both sessions but were told that they received a nicotine-containing inhaler in one session and a nicotine-free inhaler in the other. In each session participants completed subjective assessments before and after inhaler administration using visual analogue scales and the Brief Questionnaire of Smoking Urges.
  
  
  RESULTS
  While neither nicotine content nor information about it significantly affected cigarette craving associated with withdrawal relief, participants reported a greater reduction in craving associated with intention to smoke when told the inhalers contained nicotine than when told the inhalers were nicotine-free, regardless of actual nicotine content.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings suggest that psychological factors play an important role in smokers' subjective responses to nicotine inhalers, the effects of which cannot be solely attributed to the direct pharmacological effects of nicotine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Darredeau
authors.forename: Sean P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Barrett
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009330:Nebulizers and Vaporizers; D009538:Nicotine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010919:Placebos; D011594:Psychometrics; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology*; D014026:Nicotiana; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018722:Nicotinic Agonists; D010919:Placebos; D009538:Nicotine