The effect of nicotine on threat avoidance behaviour in healthy non-smokers.

ABSTRACT:

Rationale

Developing adaptive strategies for survival relies on distinguishing danger from safety through aversive learning mechanisms. Chronic and acute nicotine exposure have been linked to impaired aversive learning and reduced discrimination between threat and safety. Yet, it is unclear if nicotine also impacts one behavioural consequence of aversive learning, which is the avoidance of threats.

Objectives

This preregistered study examines how acute nicotine influences costly avoidance behaviour in non-smokers.

Methods

To this end, healthy non-smoking participants (n = 66) received either 1 mg nicotine or a placebo in a double-blind design and underwent an active avoidance task. During acquisition, participants could choose between a safer but longer path to reach

SUBMITTER: Mueller M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12380871 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature