The effect of nicotine abstinence on a measure of inhibitory control in nicotine dependence
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1
University of Melbourne, Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, Australia
i. Background: General models of addiction emphasise inhibitory control (IC) as critical to the maintenance of substance dependence. Although the majority of substance use disorders depict reliable deficits in IC, evidence of IC dysfunction in nicotine dependence remains inconclusive. Discrepancies in studies stem from a failure to control for variables known to independently influence IC, such as age, a history of brain injury, concurrent drug use and most importantly, length of nicotine abstinence.
ii. Methods: Using a Stop Signal Task (SST) to examine Stop Signal Reaction Time (SSRT), a typical measure of IC, we examined IC performance in nicotine dependence across two studies, both strictly controlled for IC confounds. Study 1 compared the SSRT of 38 dependent cigarette smokers (11 female) to 37 non-smokers (13 female), where dependent individuals were tested following 3-hour nicotine abstinence. Study 2 compared 22 dependent cigarette smokers’ (11 female) SSRT scores when satiated on nicotine to their performance following 10-hour nicotine abstinence.
iii. Results: In Study 1, nicotine dependent individuals did not differ from controls in SSRT performance following 3-hr abstinence. However, nicotine dependent individuals in Study 2 demonstrated significantly poorer IC at 10-hr abstinence than at nicotine satiation.
iv. Discussion: These findings indicate that although not apparent at small (3-hour) periods of abstinence, IC deficits are present at longer (10-hour) abstinence; suggesting smaller abstinence periods may maintain nicotine satiation effects and mask underlying IC impairment. Subsequently, a suitable abstinence period may be a necessary precondition to examining IC function in nicotine dependence. We recommend future research implement strict criterion limiting IC confounds and examine IC during suitable periods of abstinence. Further investigation is required into the optimum abstinence point for investigating IC deficits that both minimises withdrawal and satiation effects whilst maximising sensitivity to IC deficits.
Keywords:
Inhibitory Control,
Abstinence,
Nicotine,
dependence,
stop signal task
Conference:
ACNS-2013 Australasian Cognitive Neuroscience Society Conference, Clayton, Melbourne, Australia, 28 Nov - 1 Dec, 2013.
Presentation Type:
Poster
Topic:
Executive Processes
Citation:
Charles-Walsh
K,
Furlong
L,
Munro
DG and
Hester
R
(2013). The effect of nicotine abstinence on a measure of inhibitory control in nicotine dependence.
Conference Abstract:
ACNS-2013 Australasian Cognitive Neuroscience Society Conference.
doi: 10.3389/conf.fnhum.2013.212.00093
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Received:
25 Sep 2013;
Published Online:
25 Nov 2013.
*
Correspondence:
Ms. Kathleen Charles-Walsh, University of Melbourne, Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, Melbourne, Australia, kathleen.charleswalsh@gmail.com