Biomedical subjects

R V Fant

Publications and source records attributed to R V Fant.

22 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed1996

Endocrine responses during acute nicotine withdrawal.

Acute administration of nicotine increases cortisol and prolactin but the endocrine effects of tobacco withdrawal are unknown. In a residential, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study, volunteers smoked ad lib for 4 days and underwent monitored tobacco abstinence for 3 days. On no-smoking days, patches delivering 0, 10, 20, or 30 mg nicotine were applied for 16 h. Daily plasma samples were analyzed for ACTH, cortisol, and prolactin. During nicotine abstinence (0 mg patch), circulating levels of ACTH, cortisol, and prolactin did not significantly change from ad lib smoking levels. Over all the patch conditions there was a significant effect of day, with modest but significant elevations of cortisol and ACTH levels on the second no-smoking day (Wed, 37 h abstinent). Prolactin levels increased during nicotine abstinence, but this effect was not significant. The observed endocrine changes did not correlate with physiologic, performance, or subjective measures of tobacco withdrawal. Our data indicate endocrine changes during acute tobacco withdrawal are transient and small. Thus, the present results do not support the use of ACTH as a treatment for tobacco cessation.

Administration, Cutaneous↗

PubMed1996

Effects of transdermal nicotine delivery on measures of acute nicotine withdrawal.

The effects of transedermal nicotine on acute physiologic, performance and subjective measures of tobacco withdrawal were evaluated in a residential, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study. Ten subjects smoked ad libitum for 4 days and underwent monitored tobacco abstinence for 3 days. On no-smoking days, three transdermal nicotine delivery systems (patches) that delivered a total of 0, 10, 20 or 30 mg of nicotine were applied for 16 hr. Experimental measures were collected 6 hr after the application of the patches. Plasma levels of nicotine and cotinine indicated that the 20- and 30-mg treatment condition fully replaced the nicotine ordinarily obtained from smoking. During nicotine abstinence (0 mg condition) typical signs of tobacco withdrawal were evident including: decreases in pulse rate, increases in electroencephalographic theta power, increases in subjective measures of tobacco abstinence and slowed performance on computer-delivered cognitive tests. Nicotine patch treatment diminished the physiologic and performance changes, but subjective measures of tobacco abstinence (cigarette craving, increases in withdrawal scores) were not significantly reduced. These data indicate that the nicotine patch may be used to diminish aspects of tobacco abstinence that could affect performance even though withdrawal discomfort may persist.

Administration, Cutaneous↗

PubMed1995

Response to smoking as a function of prior smoking amounts.

Smoking patterns are changing to accommodate new environmental smoking restrictions. The current study explored the effects of prior smoking amounts on the behavioral, physiological, and subjective effects of smoking a single cigarette. Ten smokers (six females, four males) each participated in four laboratory sessions of 6 h duration. During each session, they smoked 0, 2, 5, or 11 cigarettes which were evenly spaced throughout the 6-h period at intervals ranging from 30 min (11 cigarettes) to 120 min (2 cigarettes), with condition order determined by a Latin square. At the end of each session, all smoked a final cigarette. Response to the last cigarette of the 6-h session was influenced by pretreatment smoking amounts. Number of puffs drawn from the cigarette (15.0, 14.1, 13.3, and 10.1) was inversely related to prior smoking density, as was heart rate increase (5.8, 4.0, 2.4, and 1.3 bpm). Three physical symptoms of smoking, dizzy, lightheaded and tingling, were significantly greater when preceded by 6 h of no smoking than when preceded by smoking at 30-min intervals. However, these symptoms were rated as mild (19-27 on a 100-point scale) even when no cigarettes had been smoked. These results suggest some dissipation of acute tolerance after 6 h of smoking abstinence. Liking and satisfaction ratings were inversely related to the pretreatment density of smoking. Liking scores for the last cigarette were 85, 71, 68 and 48 (on a 100-point analog scale) when 0, 2, 5 and 11 cigarettes had been smoked. Overall, the study showed that physiological and subjective effects of smoking are modulated by recent histories of smoking.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Nicotine dependence in women.

Cigarette smoking is the most preventable cause of death in the United States, accounting for the deaths of approximately 140,000 women annually. Despite the known health risks, women continue to begin and continue smoking at high rates. Like other addictive drugs, nicotine becomes reinforcing with repeated use, induces euphoric sensations, and is self-administered. Tolerance to nicotine's effects develops rapidly and leads to increased use. Reducing or suppressing tobacco consumption produces a withdrawal syndrome characterized by irritability, difficulty concentrating, cognitive impairments, and weight gain. These withdrawal symptoms, along with other factors, lead to relapse rates comparable to those following cessation from other addictive drugs. This review article discusses the pathogenesis of nicotine addiction compared to other addictive substances such as cocaine and heroin with an effort to provide comparative data for men and women.

Adolescent↗