The effects of nicotine dependence and acute abstinence on the processing of drug and non-drug rewards

Journal article


Lawn, W., Freeman, T. P., Hindocha, C., Mokrysz, C., Das, R. K., Morgan, C J. A. and Curran, H. V.. (2015). The effects of nicotine dependence and acute abstinence on the processing of drug and non-drug rewards. Psychopharmacology. 232(14), pp. 2503 - 2517. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-015-3883-4
AuthorsLawn, W., Freeman, T. P., Hindocha, C., Mokrysz, C., Das, R. K., Morgan, C J. A. and Curran, H. V.
Abstract

Rationale: Drug addiction may be characterised by a hypersensitivity to drug rewards and a hyposensitivity to non-drug rewards. This imbalance may become further polarised during acute abstinence. Objectives: (i) Examine the differences between dependent and occasional smokers in choices for, motivation for and self-reported wanting and liking of cigarette and non-drug rewards. (ii) Examine the effects of 12-h nicotine abstinence on these metrics. Methods: Dependent (n = 20) and occasional, non-dependent smokers (n = 20) were tested after ad libitum smoking and ≥12-h of nicotine abstinence. A novel task was developed (Drug, Reward and Motivation–Choice (DReaM-Choice)) in which different rewards (cigarettes, music and chocolate) could be won. In each trial, participants chose between two rewards and then could earn the chosen reward via repeated button-pressing. Participants subsequently ‘consumed’ and rated subjective liking of the rewards they had won. Results: Compared with occasional smokers, dependent smokers made more choices for (p  <  0.001), pressed more for (p = 0.046) and reported more wanting (p = 0.007) and liking (p  <  0.001) of cigarettes, and also made fewer choices for chocolate (p = 0.005). There were no differences between the groups on button-pressing for chocolate or music. However, the balance between drug and non-drug reward processing was different between the groups across all metrics. Twelve-hour nicotine abstinence led to more cigarette choices (p  < 0.001) and fewer music choices (p = 0.042) in both groups. Conclusions: Nicotine dependence was associated with a hypersensitivity to cigarette rewards, but we found little evidence indicating a hyposensitivity to non-drug rewards. Our findings question the moderating influence of dependence on how acute nicotine abstinence affects reward processing.

Keywordsaddiction; nicotine; tobacco; smoking; dependence; abstinence; deprivation; reward; motivation; pleasure
Year2015
JournalPsychopharmacology
Journal citation232 (14), pp. 2503 - 2517
PublisherSpringer-Verlag
ISSN0033-3158
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-015-3883-4
Scopus EID2-s2.0-84932198490
Page range2503 - 2517
Publisher's version
File Access Level
Controlled
Place of publicationGermany
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