Effects of Smoking Cues on Tobacco Craving Responses and the Reinforcing Efficacy of Cigarettes in Adolescent Smokers

Background:

* Multiple social, psychological, and environmental factors contribute to adolescents' use of cigarettes. Environmental smoking cues have been shown to play an important role in the maintenance of nicotine addiction and in relapse to smoking. However, few studies have examined craving and cue-reactivity in adolescent smokers, even though craving appears to contribute to ongoing smoking and relapse in this age group. * Another factor central to addiction is the rewarding effect of drugs, or the interaction between the person, the drug, and the environmental setting. However, more research is needed on whether environmental cues lead to increased smoking in adolescents.

Objectives:

- To determine the effects of smoking versus neutral cues in adolescents who smoke on (1) craving, mood, and autonomic responsivity and (2) the relative reinforcing efficacy of tobacco cigarettes.

Eligibility:

- Adolescents 12 to 17 years of age who are current smokers (at least five cigarettes per day for the past 6 months).

Design:

* This study will involve three study visits. Participants will be allowed to smoke before all study sessions and will give a breath carbon monoxide (CO) sample before all sessions. Participants must not use any illicit drugs or alcohol 24 hours before sessions. * Visit 1 (baseline session): Participants will provide a urine sample and will be familiarized with the study room and session design. * Visits 2 and 3: Participants will be connected to physiological recording devices to measure heart rate, perspiration, and other physical responses. After baseline readings, participants will be exposed to smoking cues at one experimental session and to neutral cues at the other experimental session. * Before, during, and after cue presentation, participants will complete self-report measures of mood and craving and have physiological measures taken. They will then be re-exposed to smoking or neutral cues and engage in a self-administration procedure to examine the effect of cues on the reinforcing efficacy of cigarettes.

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Key information

Conditions

Nicotine Dependence Chemically-Induced Disorders Mental Disorders Substance-Related Disorders Tobacco Use Disorder

Age range

13 year–17 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

National Institute on Drug Abuse, Biomedical Research Center (BRC)

Baltimore, Maryland, 21224, United States

About this study

Objective:

To determine the effects of smoking versus neutral cues in adolescents who smoke on 1) craving, mood, and autonomic responsivity and 2) the relative reinforcing efficacy of tobacco cigarettes.

Study population:

25 adolescents who smoke at least 5 cigarettes per day.

Design:

Comparison-controlled, within-subjects design.

Outcome Measures:

During cue trials, primary measures include craving (TCQ-SF, VAS), mood (mood form, VAS), and autonomic (heart rate, blood pressure, skin conductance) responsivity. During self-administration trials, primary measures include breakpoint (final ratio completed), total number of responses, and number of cigarette puffs earned and taken. Secondary measures include baseline smoking history, mood, tobacco craving, smoking expectancies, nicotine dependence, and urinary cotinine and 3-hydroxycotinine.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

INCLUSION CRITERIA:

13-17 year old males and females
smoking at least 5 cigarettes per day for at least 6 months
urinary cotinine level greater than or equal to 100 ng/ml (NicAlert(Registered Trademark) reading greater than or equal to 3)
medically and psychologically healthy as determined by screening criteria.

Exclusion criteria

current interest in reducing or quitting smoking
treatment for nicotine dependence in the past 3 months
use of nicotine replacement products, bupropion, or varenicline in the past 3 months
alcohol and any illicit drug use more than 7 times in the last 14 days
current use of any medication that would interfere with the protocol in the opinion of MAI
pregnant, nursing, or become pregnant during the study

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

Nih

Registry information

Important dates

Study start: 2008
Study completion: 2011
First posted: Jun 22, 2010
Registry last updated: Jul 2, 2017

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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Completed