Acute Effects of Nicotine on Risky Choice among Non-Smokers

Research examining the relationship between acute nicotine use and experimental measures of risk-taking has yielded conflicting results. The present study sought to expand upon research investigating the acute impact of nicotine on risky choice among non-smokers while measuring and controlling for g...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inThe Psychological record Vol. 64; no. 2; pp. 151 - 159
Main Authors Pilarski, Carrie R., Skeel, Reid L., Reilly, Mark P.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Cham Springer International Publishing 01.06.2014
Springer Nature B.V
Subjects
Behavior
Behavioral Science and Psychology
Cognitive ability
Cognitive Processes
Data Interpretation
Decision making
Dopamine
Drug dosages
Females
Gender differences
Information Processing
Males
Narcotics
Nicotine
Original Article
Psychology
Research Design
Resistance (Psychology)
Smoking
Studies
Substance Abuse
Risk-taking
Impulsivity
Nicotine
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Summary:Research examining the relationship between acute nicotine use and experimental measures of risk-taking has yielded conflicting results. The present study sought to expand upon research investigating the acute impact of nicotine on risky choice among non-smokers while measuring and controlling for gender, a potentially confounding variable. Utilizing a between-group, double-blind, experimental design, 69 participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions (placebo, 2 mg, or 4 mg nicotine gum). Participants completed two behavioral risk-taking measures and a motor control task. Individuals in the nicotine conditions demonstrated a main effect of decreased risk-taking on one measure. An interaction between nicotine, gender and risk-taking was found on the second measure of risk-taking, with only males showing decreased risk-taking in higher nicotine conditions. Results suggest nicotine has an acute effect on non-smokers’ patterns of risk-taking, and provide direction for further research on differential effects of nicotine on risk-taking tasks.
ISSN:0033-2933
2163-3452
DOI:10.1007/s40732-014-0057-4