Extensive research has shown that nicotine functions as a primary reinforcer in both laboratory animals and humans and that the sensorimotor stimuli associated with nicotine delivery can act as conditioned reinforcers. However, several observations suggest that these two mechanisms (i.e., primary and conditioned reinforcement) cannot adequately explain smoking reinforcement. Nicotine is a relatively weak reinforcer when it is presented by itself (i.e., without any other stimuli), may not produce the discrete reinforcing neurobiological events that are an essential component of most primary reinforcement models, and interacts synergistically with nicotine-associated stimuli to reinforcer operant behavior. Recent preclinical research has uncovered a novel effect of nicotine that may help explain these observations and lead to a better understanding of the role of nicotine in smoking reinforcement. Nicotine greatly facilitates the reinforcing properties of other stimuli in a manner that is not dependent on the stimuli being temporally or causally related to nicotine. These findings suggest that nicotine may drive smoking behavior in two distinct ways - first, by acting as a primary reinforcer and consequently conveying conditioned reinforcing properties on nicotine-associated stimuli, and second, by directly potentiating other reinforcing properties of smoking (e.g., the conditioned reinforcement derived from smoking stimuli). The experiment proposed here tests this hypothesis by examining the effects of multiple doses of transdermal nicotine on the subjective, physiological, and reinforcing effects of nicotine-free cigarettes over multiple days of exposure in both a controlled laboratory setting and the natural environment. Given the grave health consequences of tobacco use, further understanding of the role of nicotine in smoking reinforcement is critically important. ? ?

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Type
Exploratory/Developmental Grants (R21)
Project #
5R21DA019626-02
Application #
7058306
Study Section
Biobehavioral Regulation, Learning and Ethology Study Section (BRLE)
Program Officer
Hoffman, Allison
Project Start
2005-05-01
Project End
2008-04-30
Budget Start
2006-05-01
Budget End
2008-04-30
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2006
Total Cost
$181,264
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Pittsburgh
Department
Psychology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
004514360
City
Pittsburgh
State
PA
Country
United States
Zip Code
15213
Donny, Eric C; Jones, Melissa (2009) Prolonged exposure to denicotinized cigarettes with or without transdermal nicotine. Drug Alcohol Depend 104:23-33
Donny, Eric C; Griffin, Kasey M; Shiffman, Saul et al. (2008) The relationship between cigarette use, nicotine dependence, and craving in laboratory volunteers. Nicotine Tob Res 10:934-42
Donny, Eric C; Griffin, Kasey M; Shiffman, Saul et al. (2008) The relationship between cigarette use, nicotine dependence, and craving in laboratory volunteers. Nicotine Tob Res 10:447-55
Donny, Eric C; Houtsmuller, Elizabeth; Stitzer, Maxine L (2007) Smoking in the absence of nicotine: behavioral, subjective and physiological effects over 11 days. Addiction 102:324-34