title: The effects of varenicline on attention and inhibitory control among treatment-seeking smokers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Varenicline represents a new class of smoking cessation aids that has different mechanisms of action that are unique from bupropion or nicotine replacement therapies. An improved understanding of these mechanisms may lead to greater treatment success in quitting smoking.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We examined the effects of steady-state varenicline on attention and inhibitory control among adult treatment-seeking smokers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adult smokers enrolled in a randomized clinical trial received either 4 weeks of pre-quit varenicline (n = 31) or 3 weeks of placebo (n = 26) followed by 1 week of standard varenicline treatment. Participants in the present work completed cognitive assessments at a baseline session (prior to treatment) and again 3 weeks later (during active treatment). At both sessions, participants completed the stop signal task to assess both lapses in attention and inhibitory control.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Analyses indicated that varenicline improved lapses in attention compared to placebo. There were no significant differences observed between groups at either session for inhibitory control.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study demonstrated that varenicline improves lapses in attention among treatment-seeking smokers preparing to make a quit attempt. These findings suggest that the domain of attention may be a good candidate for larger studies of the role of improved cognition in understanding the mechanisms of varenicline treatment for smoking cessation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University at Buffalo, 230 Park Hall, Box 604110, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA.
authors.forename: Jessica D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Rhodes
authors.forename: Larry W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Hawk
authors.forename: Rebecca L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Ashare
authors.forename: Nicolas J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Schlienz
authors.forename: Martin C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Mahoney
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001288:Attention / Q000187:drug effects*; D001552:Benzazepines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D006801:Humans; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D008875:Middle Aged; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011810:Quinoxalines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000068580:Varenicline; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001552:Benzazepines; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists; D011810:Quinoxalines; D000068580:Varenicline