title: The neurocognitive effects of Hypericum perforatum Special Extract (Ze 117) during smoking cessation.
abstract: The efficacy and tolerability of current treatments for smoking cessation are relatively poor. More research is required to address the biological mechanisms underpinning nicotine withdrawal and drug treatments for smoking cessation. We assessed the neurocognitive effects of Remotiv® (Hypericum perforatum Special Extract - Ze 117), Nicabate CQ Nicotine Replacement therapy (NRT) and combined NRT/HP during conditions of smoking abstinence in 20 regular smokers aged between 18 and 60 years over a period of 10 weeks during smoking cessation. A Spatial Working Memory (SWM) task was completed at baseline, 4 weeks prior to quitting, as well as at the completion of the study, following the 10 weeks of treatment. Brain activity was recorded during the completion of the SWM task using Steady-State Probe Topography. Reaction time and accuracy on the SWM task were not found to be significantly different between treatment groups at retest. Differences in SSVEP treatment profiles at retest are discussed, including stronger SSVEP Amplitude increase in posterior-parietal regions for the HP and NRT groups and greater fronto-central SSVEP Phase Advance in the HP group.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Human Psychopharmacology, Swinburne University, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Camfield
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Scholey
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pipingas
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Silberstein
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kure
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zangara
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kras
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stough
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D020902:Hypericum / Q000737:chemistry*; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000187:drug effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009538:Nicotine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods*; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; C446503:ZE 117; D009538:Nicotine
keywords: Hypericum perforatum; Nicotine Replacement Therapy; Spatial Working Memory; Steady-State Visual Evoked Potentials); Ze 117; smoking cessation