The purpose of this mentored training award is to establish the candidate's independent research career examining comorbidity between cigarette smoking and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The candidate's long-term goal is to identify substrates that underpin nicotine dependence in smokers with PTSD in order to develop tailored treatments that more effectively reduce smoking in this population. These goals will be accomplished through formal didactic coursework, seminars, and practical performance of a laboratory study at the University of Washington and the Veterans Administration Puget Sound Health Care System. Despite strong comorbidity between smoking and PTSD, little is known about mechanisms maintaining smoking in this psychiatric population. Two studies examining affective mechanisms potentially influencing smoking in PTSD are proposed. Study 1 will 1) characterize effects of acute nicotine administration on situationally induced positive affect and situationally induced negative affect, and 2) determine whether nicotine's mood effects are more pronounced among smokers with PTSD versus smokers without PTSD. In counterbalanced order, smokers with PTSD (n = 50) and smokers without PTSD (n = 50) will undergo three positive and three negative laboratory-based mood inductions in combination with: 1) smoking a nicotinized cigarette, 2) smoking a denicotinized cigarette, and 3) drinking water. The magnitude of positive and negative affective responses to the mood inductions will be compared. Study 2 will examine whether the effects of nicotine deprivation on positive affect and negative affect are magnified among smokers with PTSD versus smokers without PTSD. Smokers who participated in Study 1 will stop smoking for 48 hours while being assessed for positive affect, negative affect, and craving via electronic diary. In addition, Study 2 will explore two mechanisms that potentially influence affective response to nicotine deprivation among smokers with PTSD: 1) reliance on nicotine to regulate affect (measured during Study 1) and 2) changes in cortisol after quitting smoking. Salivary cbrtisol will be measured over two days of regular smoking and two days of nicotine deprivation.

Public Health Relevance

Cigarette smoking is the number one avoidable cause of death and disability. It is estimated that PTSD affects 2.6 million Americans, and that 1.6 million of these patients are smokers.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Type
Clinical Investigator Award (CIA) (K08)
Project #
5K08DA021311-03
Application #
7686099
Study Section
Human Development Research Subcommittee (NIDA)
Program Officer
Hoffman, Allison
Project Start
2007-09-30
Project End
2012-08-31
Budget Start
2009-09-01
Budget End
2010-08-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2009
Total Cost
$166,794
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Wisconsin Madison
Department
Internal Medicine/Medicine
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
161202122
City
Madison
State
WI
Country
United States
Zip Code
53715
Cook, Jessica W; Piper, Megan E; Leventhal, Adam M et al. (2015) Anhedonia as a component of the tobacco withdrawal syndrome. J Abnorm Psychol 124:215-25
Leventhal, Adam M; Piper, Megan E; Japuntich, Sandra J et al. (2014) Anhedonia, depressed mood, and smoking cessation outcome. J Consult Clin Psychol 82:122-9
Piper, Megan E; Baker, Timothy B; Mermelstein, Robin et al. (2013) Recruiting and engaging smokers in treatment in a primary care setting: developing a chronic care model implemented through a modified electronic health record. Transl Behav Med 3:253-63
Piper, Megan E; Rodock, Matthew; Cook, Jessica W et al. (2013) Psychiatric diagnoses among quitters versus continuing smokers 3 years after their quit day. Drug Alcohol Depend 128:148-54
Cook, Jessica W; Fucito, Lisa M; Piasecki, Thomas M et al. (2012) Relations of alcohol consumption with smoking cessation milestones and tobacco dependence. J Consult Clin Psychol 80:1075-85
Baker, Timothy B; Piper, Megan E; Schlam, Tanya R et al. (2012) Are tobacco dependence and withdrawal related amongst heavy smokers? Relevance to conceptualizations of dependence. J Abnorm Psychol 121:909-21
Schlam, Tanya R; Piper, Megan E; Cook, Jessica W et al. (2012) Life 1 year after a quit attempt: real-time reports of quitters and continuing smokers. Ann Behav Med 44:309-19
Loh, Wei-Yin; Piper, Megan E; Schlam, Tanya R et al. (2012) Should all smokers use combination smoking cessation pharmacotherapy? Using novel analytic methods to detect differential treatment effects over 8 weeks of pharmacotherapy. Nicotine Tob Res 14:131-41
Leventhal, Adam M; Japuntich, Sandra J; Piper, Megan E et al. (2012) Isolating the role of psychological dysfunction in smoking cessation: relations of personality and psychopathology to attaining cessation milestones. Psychol Addict Behav 26:838-49
Piper, Megan E; Schlam, Tanya R; Cook, Jessica W et al. (2011) Tobacco withdrawal components and their relations with cessation success. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 216:569-78

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