A single dose of nicotine enhances reward responsiveness in nonsmokers: implications for development of dependence.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Tobacco smoking, driven by the addictive properties of nicotine, is the most prevalent preventable cause of death in the Western world. Accumulated evidence suggests that nicotine may increase appetitive responding for nondrug incentives in the environment.

Methods

To test this hypothesis, we conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study of the effect of a single dose of transdermal nicotine on reward responsiveness in 30 psychiatrically healthy nonsmokers. A novel signal detection task in which correct responses were differentially rewarded in a 3:1 ratio was used to assess the extent to which participants modulated their behavior as a function of reward.

Results

Despite expected adverse effects such as nausea, nicotine signific

SUBMITTER: Barr RS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2441863 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature