A test of the cognitive self-medication hypothesis of tobacco smoking in schizophrenia.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Heavier tobacco smoking among people with schizophrenia (SCZ) has been suggested to reflect self-medication of cognitive deficits. The idea that cognitive-enhancing effects of nicotine are a primary motivator of tobacco consumption in SCZ and that abstinence would deprive SCZ of such beneficial effects might explain hesitation among providers to pursue smoking cessation in SCZ. This study tested predictions of the cognitive self-medication hypothesis.

Methods

In three counterbalanced sessions, 17 SCZ and 17 healthy control subjects (HCS), all smokers, were tested under ad libitum smoking or 3.5 hours after abstaining and receiving a nicotine (14 mg/24 hours) or placebo patch.

Results

Attention task performance was improved by transdermal nicotine relative t

SUBMITTER: Hahn B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3755590 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature