Tobacco smoking is a leading cause of preventable death and disability in the U.S. Although women compared to men are at a greater risk of smoking-related disease morbidity and mortality, research suggests they may smoke for different reasons than men and have a harder time quitting than men. Research identifying female-specific factors underlying addiction is critical for: (a) addressing sex-related health disparities; (b) informing female-specific treatments; and (c) discovering addiction processes that are overrepresented among females yet applicable to both sexes. Ovarian hormones represent a female specific factor implicate in the maintenance of nicotine addiction and success following a quit attempt. This proposal aims to advance this line of research by combining ecological momentary assessment (EMA) with daily hormonal sampling across an entire menstrual cycle to further examine the patterns and mechanisms of ovarian hormone variation effects on smoking in women in real time. The use of prospective daily recordings and hormonal sampling will allow us to test whether smoking will be higher on days with high estrogen and lower on days with high progesterone (Aim 1), that women with greater estrogen to progesterone ratios compared to women with lower estrogen to progesterone ratios across the entire menstrual cycle will smoke more and be more nicotine dependent (Aim 2), and that days with higher estrogen will be marked by greater nicotine reward and worse cognitive control, which will mediate relations between higher estrogen and increased smoking (Aim 3). Secondary aims will explore variability of hormonal effects across the menstrual cycle (Aim 4). As the first comprehensive study investigating daily changes in ovarian hormones, drug reward, cognitive control, and smoking behavior, this project will pave the way for a program of research involving more intensive laboratory and field-based studies of psychoneuroendocrinological underpinnings of smoking in women. Through expert mentoring, directed readings, formal coursework and seminars, onsite training, attending national scientific meetings, manuscript and grant preparation, mentorship of students in the USC Health, Emotion, and Addiction Laboratory, and the completion of the proposed investigation expertise will be gained in: (a) Naturalistic field assessment of nicotine addiction; (b) EMA design and implementation; and (c) Use of advanced statistical methodology to test the aims outlined by the project. Thus, by the end of the proposed training period, the applicant will be uniquely positioned to run an independent interdisciplinary line of research incorporating both lab and field based studies in investigating female specific factors in addiction.

Public Health Relevance

Clarifying the role of ovarian hormones on smoking may aid cessation treatment in women and could provide further evidence for the use of hormone-based medications for smoking cessation in both sexes. Given the vast health costs associated with smoking, knowledge gained from this study could offset the burden associated with smoking.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Type
Research Scientist Development Award - Research & Training (K01)
Project #
5K01DA040043-04
Application #
9512915
Study Section
Biobehavioral Regulation, Learning and Ethology Study Section (BRLE)
Program Officer
Wetherington, Cora Lee
Project Start
2015-07-01
Project End
2020-06-30
Budget Start
2018-07-01
Budget End
2019-06-30
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
2018
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Southern California
Department
Public Health & Prev Medicine
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
072933393
City
Los Angeles
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
90089
Pang, Raina D; Liautaud, Madalyn M; Kirkpatrick, Matthew G et al. (2018) Ovarian Hormones and Transdermal Nicotine Administration Independently and Synergistically Suppress Tobacco Withdrawal Symptoms and Smoking Reinstatement in the Human Laboratory. Neuropsychopharmacology 43:828-837
Liautaud, Madalyn M; Leventhal, Adam M; Pang, Raina D (2018) Happiness as a Buffer of the Association Between Dependence and Acute Tobacco Abstinence Effects in African American Smokers. Nicotine Tob Res 20:1215-1222
Bello, Mariel S; Pang, Raina D; Chasson, Gregory S et al. (2017) Obsessive-compulsive symptoms and negative affect during tobacco withdrawal in a non-clinical sample of African American smokers. J Anxiety Disord 48:78-86
Guillot, Casey R; Halliday, Teresa M; Kirkpatrick, Matthew G et al. (2017) Anhedonia and Abstinence as Predictors of the Subjective Pleasantness of Positive, Negative, and Smoking-Related Pictures. Nicotine Tob Res 19:743-749
Pang, Raina D; Andrabi, Nafeesa; Leventhal, Adam M (2017) Premenstrual symptoms and factors implicated in smoking cessation among woman smokers. Exp Clin Psychopharmacol 25:235-241
Pang, Raina D; Guillot, Casey R; Zvolensky, Michael J et al. (2017) Associations of anxiety sensitivity and emotional symptoms with the subjective effects of alcohol, cigarettes, and cannabis in adolescents. Addict Behav 73:192-198
Pang, Raina D; Kirkpatrick, Matthew G; Goldenson, Nicholas I et al. (2016) Asians compared to Whites show increased response to d-amphetamine on select subjective and cardiovascular measures. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 144:73-7
Goldenson, Nicholas I; Pang, Raina D; Leventhal, Adam M (2016) Associations between ADHD symptoms and smoking outcome expectancies in a non-clinical sample of daily cigarette smokers. Am J Addict 25:152-9
Pang, Raina D; Bello, Mariel S; Stone, Matthew D et al. (2016) Premenstrual symptoms and smoking-related expectancies. Addict Behav 57:38-41
Guillot, Casey R; Pang, Raina D; Leventhal, Adam M et al. (2015) The association of SNCA with hazardous alcohol use is mediated by impulsivity. Psychiatry Res 226:523-4