Validation of the human odor span task: effects of nicotine.

ABSTRACT:

Rationale

Amongst non-smokers, nicotine generally enhances performance on tasks of attention, with limited effect on working memory. In contrast, nicotine has been shown to produce robust enhancements of working memory in non-humans.

Objectives

To address this gap, the present study investigated the effects of nicotine on the performance of non-smokers on a cognitive battery which included a working memory task reverse-translated from use with rodents (the odor span task, OST). Nicotine has been reported to enhance OST performance in rats and the present study assessed whether this effect generalizes to human performance.

Methods

Thirty non-smokers were tested on three occasions after consuming either placebo, 2 mg, or 4 mg nicotine gum. On each occasion, participants

SUBMITTER: MacQueen DA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5772879 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature