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Effects of Nicotine on Brain Activity as Measured by fMRI

NCT01037153 · Status: COMPLETED · Type: OBSERVATIONAL · Enrollment: 128

Last updated 2017-07-02

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Background:

\- Nicotine addiction is common among people who smoke tobacco, and the addictive properties of nicotine make smoking cessation difficult even for people who want to quit. Research has shown that smoking causes changes in the brain that lead to addiction and craving, but more research is needed to determine how different doses of nicotine and different intervals of receiving nicotine affect brain function. A greater understanding of nicotine's effect on the brain, as studied through functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), may improve the effectiveness of smoking cessation therapies and treatments.

Objectives:

\- To determine the effects of nicotine on brain function and chemistry in experienced cigarette smokers.

Eligibility:

\- Current smokers (at least 20 cigarettes per day for at least 1 year) between 18 and 50 years of age.

Design:

* The study involves five separate research experiments. Most participants will be involved in only one experiment.
* The experiments will evaluate brain activity and function using fMRI. Participants will be trained in a series of tests on cognitive function before beginning the experimental part of the study.
* Experiment 1: Participants will have three fMRI scan sessions after receiving different dose levels of intravenous nicotine.
* Experiment 2: Participants will have four fMRI scan sessions after receiving two doses of nicotine separated by 1/4, 1/2, 3, and 24 hours.
* Experiment 3: Participants will have two sets of nicotine injections separated by 45 minutes, with each injection series containing five rapid injections of small amounts of nicotine (to mimic five puffs on a cigarette).
* Experiment 4: Participants will have three fMRI sessions after receiving a single injection of nicotine at three different rates (over 15, 60, or 120 seconds). In addition there will be three more sessions involving a nicotine patch and a nicotine injection as well as a placebo session.
* Experiment 5: Participants will have three fMRI sessions that will involve looking at different kinds of pictures related to or not related to smoking after receiving a single injection of nicotine.
* Participants will also provide blood samples for further study....

Conditions

  • Nicotine Dependence
  • Drug Abuse

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

    lead NIH

Eligibility

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

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2002-08-06
Completion
2011-07-25

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

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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 NCT01037153 on ClinicalTrials.gov