Behavioral Memory Modulation in Nicotine Addiction

Summary

The purpose of the study is to see if a behavioral intervention known as retrieval-extinction training (RET) might affect craving in response to nicotine cues (e.g., pictures, videos and objects) and smoking behavior in men and women who smoke cigarettes.

Conditions

• Nicotine Use Disorder

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Retrieval Extinction Training (RET)

Retrieval extinction training (RET) is a behavioral intervention that involves cue-elicited retrieval followed by extinction training (i.e., massed unreinforced exposure to drug-associated cues). The first element of RET involves briefly presenting drug-associated cues to retrieve drug use memories. The second element, occurring after a brief interval, involves extinction training. It is argued that the initial retrieval of the memories prior to extinction training initiates a period of instability, which is followed by reconsolidation of the memories back into long-term storage. Extinction training during the period of instability is presumed to overwrite the original drug-associated cue with a non-drug-associated cue, to attenuate expression of drug-seeking behavior.

BEHAVIORAL

Control Retrieval Extinction Training (RET)

The control retrieval extinction training (RET) for the NR-E arms serves as the control intervention to the RET behavioral intervention. The first element of the control RET involves briefly presenting retrieval cues that contain neutral, non-smoking content. The second element, occurring after a brief interval, involves extinction training. Based on findings from the previous NIDA-funded R21, the R-E arm reported a significant 25 percent reduction in cigarettes smoked per day during the follow-up period versus the control NR-E arm.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National Institutes of Health (NIH)

  collaborator NIH

• National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

  collaborator NIH

• Medical University of South Carolina

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Michael Saladin, PhD · Medical University of South Carolina

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

25 Years

Max Age

65 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2019-02-04

Primary Completion

2023-10-28

Completion

2023-11-01

Countries

• United States

Study Locations