title: Circulating leptin and pain perception among tobacco-dependent individuals.
abstract: Recent preclinical evidence suggests that leptin may modulate the stress response and may increase nociception. In this study, we examined for the first time the extent to which cigarette smoking is associated with leptin levels during an extended rest period and in response to noxious stimuli. Repeated blood samples were collected during a laboratory session from smokers and nonsmokers and assayed for leptin. Pain experiences, as well as neuroendocrine and cardiovascular measures, were collected across cold pressor and thermal heat pain tests. Both analysis of variance and correlations confirmed that smokers demonstrated dysregulations in leptin responsivity and association with pain relative to nonsmokers. The flat pattern of leptin release and the weak associations of this hormone with pain in smokers suggest a long-term effect of tobacco dependence on this regulatory hormone. In light of leptin's influence on reward pathways, further investigation of leptin's involvement in nicotine dependence is warranted.
authors.affiliation: University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth, MN, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN, USA; Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN, USA. Electronic address: malabsi@umn.edu.
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: al'Absi
authors.affiliation: University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Andrine
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lemieux
authors.affiliation: University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Motohiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakajima
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Dorothy K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Hatsukami
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Allen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003080:Cold Temperature; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D010146:Pain / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010147:Pain Measurement; D058748:Pain Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D012907:Smoking / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D020738:Leptin
keywords: Leptin; Mood; Pain; Smoking