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The Effects of Nicotine Withdrawal on Reward Responsivity in Schizophrenia

NCT00373126 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: PHASE4 · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 40

Last updated 2009-05-15

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

It has been suggested that patients with schizophrenia smoke in order to produce amelioration of dysfunctional dopaminergic pathways allowing them to experience pleasure and satisfaction and overcome anhedonia. No studies have assessed the effects of nicotine withdrawal on reward responsivity in patients with schizophrenia. The investigators believe that an understanding of this is crucial if improved treatments for nicotine dependence are to be developed for this patient population. If this group already has deficits in reward responsivity as a symptom of the disease then they may be particularly prone to the effects of nicotine withdrawal on reward systems. Smoking cessation may lead to a further decrease in their responsivity to pleasurable stimuli and worsening anhedonia. Treatments for smoking cessation may need to ameliorate any increased deficits if they are likely to be effective in patients with schizophrenia.

Conditions

Interventions

DRUG

transdermal nicotine patch

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Massachusetts General Hospital

    collaborator OTHER

  • North Suffolk Mental Health Association

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • A E Evins, MD MPH · North Suffolk Mental Health Association

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE
Model
CROSSOVER

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Max Age
60 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2005-04-30

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

More Related Trials

Entities

Diseases

Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT00373126 on ClinicalTrials.gov