Cigarette smoking in adolescents is a major public health problem, which not only relates to the younger population, but also for the long-term physical and mental health of adults. Studies suggest that most adults could be prevented from becoming tobacco users if they could be kept tobacco-free during adolescence. However, not all youth who begin smoking develop nicotine dependence (ND). In order for the prevention efforts for smoking to be most effective, it is important to elucidate the underlying mechanisms that drive the progression to ND, as well as to gain a better understanding of the individual differences in vulnerability. Data from diverse lines of research suggest a close connection between depression and ND. However, the mechanisms underlying the linkages between these two disorders are poorly understood, thereby limiting the development of effective treatments. Studies in both humans and animals suggest that the stress-response system may be involved in both ND and depressive disorder. Using a longitudinal design, this investigation seeks to examine the association between hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) dysregulation and risk for smoking initiation and progression to ND in four groups of adolescents: (1) depressed adolescents with no previous or current tobacco use; (2) depressed adolescents with current tobacco use; (3) normal adolescents with no previous or current tobacco use; and (4) normal adolescents with current tobacco use. Pilot data from our laboratory have shown that elevated cortisol near bedtime increases the risk for non-nicotine substance-related disorders and for recurrent depressive episodes in depressed adolescents. Other data suggest that antidepressant (AD) agents are helpful in reducing nicotine/other substance use in addition to improving depressive symptoms, which might be due to down-regulation of the HPA axis by the AD drugs. If our preliminary results, showing a relationship between high cortisol and risk for substance use disorders, are extended to ND, the findings potentially might be helpful in identifying the subgroup of youth with these disorders who might benefit most from AD or anti-glucocorticoid treatment strategies. This would have important clinical implications because, as a group, youngsters tend to show more variability in AD response compared with adult depressed patients. More focused and effective interventions early in the course of the disorder might be helpful in reducing the long-term morbidity and mortality associated with ND. Even if only a small subgroup of youngsters at risk for ND can be identified by such means, because of the many direct as well as indirect negative consequences associated with ND, this will be of great public health importance.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
1R01DA014037-01A1
Application #
6424690
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-BBBP-2 (01))
Program Officer
Gordon, Harold
Project Start
2001-09-30
Project End
2003-06-30
Budget Start
2001-09-30
Budget End
2003-06-30
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2001
Total Cost
$382,291
Indirect Cost
Name
University of California Los Angeles
Department
Type
Other Domestic Higher Education
DUNS #
119132785
City
Los Angeles
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
90095
Adinoff, Bryon; Leonard, David; Price, Julianne et al. (2017) Adrenocortical sensitivity, moderated by ongoing stress, predicts drinking intensity in alcohol-dependent men. Psychoneuroendocrinology 76:67-76
Mielock, Alyssa S; Morris, Matthew C; Rao, Uma (2017) Patterns of cortisol and alpha-amylase reactivity to psychosocial stress in maltreated women. J Affect Disord 209:46-52
Morris, Matthew C; Kouros, Chrystyna D; Mielock, Alyssa S et al. (2017) Depressive symptom composites associated with cortisol stress reactivity in adolescents. J Affect Disord 210:181-188
Morris, Matthew C; Mielock, Alyssa S; Rao, Uma (2016) Salivary stress biomarkers of recent nicotine use and dependence. Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse 42:640-648
Yang, Hongyu; Spence, Jeffrey S; Briggs, Richard W et al. (2015) Interaction between early life stress and alcohol dependence on neural stress reactivity. Addict Biol 20:523-33
Rao, Uma; Morris, Matthew C (2015) Cortisol Responses to Psychosocial Stress: The Role of Childhood Maltreatment and Depression. Int J Public Ment Health Neurosci 2:
Morris, Matthew C; Rao, Uma (2014) Cortisol response to psychosocial stress during a depressive episode and remission. Stress 17:51-8
Eames, Sarah F; Businelle, Michael S; Suris, Alina et al. (2014) Stress moderates the effect of childhood trauma and adversity on recent drinking in treatment-seeking alcohol-dependent men. J Consult Clin Psychol 82:441-7
Schramm, Preetam J; Poland, Russell E; Rao, Uma (2014) Bupropion response on sleep quality in patients with depression: implications for increased cardiovascular disease risk. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 24:207-14
Huang, Hao; Gundapuneedi, Tejasvi; Rao, Uma (2012) White matter disruptions in adolescents exposed to childhood maltreatment and vulnerability to psychopathology. Neuropsychopharmacology 37:2693-701

Showing the most recent 10 out of 35 publications