title: The effects of nicotine dependence and acute abstinence on the processing of drug and non-drug rewards.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Drug addiction may be characterised by a hypersensitivity to drug rewards and a hyposensitivity to non-drug rewards. This imbalance may become further polarised during acute abstinence.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  (i) Examine the differences between dependent and occasional smokers in choices for, motivation for and self-reported wanting and liking of cigarette and non-drug rewards. (ii) Examine the effects of 12-h nicotine abstinence on these metrics.
  
  
  METHODS
  Dependent (n = 20) and occasional, non-dependent smokers (n = 20) were tested after ad libitum smoking and ≥12-h of nicotine abstinence. A novel task was developed (Drug, Reward and Motivation-Choice (DReaM-Choice)) in which different rewards (cigarettes, music and chocolate) could be won. In each trial, participants chose between two rewards and then could earn the chosen reward via repeated button-pressing. Participants subsequently 'consumed' and rated subjective liking of the rewards they had won.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with occasional smokers, dependent smokers made more choices for (p < 0.001), pressed more for (p = 0.046) and reported more wanting (p = 0.007) and liking (p < 0.001) of cigarettes, and also made fewer choices for chocolate (p = 0.005). There were no differences between the groups on button-pressing for chocolate or music. However, the balance between drug and non-drug reward processing was different between the groups across all metrics. Twelve-hour nicotine abstinence led to more cigarette choices (p < 0.001) and fewer music choices (p = 0.042) in both groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nicotine dependence was associated with a hypersensitivity to cigarette rewards, but we found little evidence indicating a hyposensitivity to non-drug rewards. Our findings question the moderating influence of dependence on how acute nicotine abstinence affects reward processing.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK, will.lawn.12@ucl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lawn
authors.forename: T P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Freeman
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hindocha
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mokrysz
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Das
authors.forename: C J A
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.forename: H V
authors.initials: HV
authors.lastname: Curran
mesh_terms: D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000378:metabolism; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D066249:Craving; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation / Q000187:drug effects; D009538:Nicotine / Q000494:pharmacology; D057181:Pleasure / Q000187:drug effects; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects; D011932:Reading; D012201:Reward; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000523:psychology*; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D009538:Nicotine; D002248:Carbon Monoxide