View clinical trials related to Tobacco Use Disorder.
Filter by:A substantial body of evidence implicates the endogenous opioid system, and the mu opioid receptor (MOR) in particular, in the reinforcing effects of drugs of abuse, including nicotine. A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the mu opioid receptor gene (OPRM1 Asp40) is associated with the ability to quit smoking, as well as nicotine reward and withdrawal symptoms. However, the precise mechanism through which this SNP influences nicotine dependence remains unresolved. This positron emission tomography (PET) study will examine whether this OPRM1 SNP alters MOR binding in response to nicotine in human smokers. Specifically, we will use [11 C]carfentanil PET imaging to assess the effects of intravenous (IV) nicotine versus saline (within-subject) on MOR binding potential in 24 chronic smokers genotyped prospectively and stratified by OPRM1 genotype.
Smoking cessation is often difficult for smokers to achieve for a variety of reasons including: difficulty with nicotine withdrawal, failure to perceive the benefits of smoking cessation, and failure to perceive the risks associated with smoking. We argue that the most effective biomarkers to affect perceptions of harm, especially for lung cancer, are those that signal progression towards disease development Proposed is a pilot study of educating smokers about the role of genetics and lung cancer in Durham VA out-patient clinics. The goal of this pilot study is to assess the interest in study participation from the VA smoking population, as well as to determine the fraction of subjects who will complete the study to power a future larger trial. Interested patients will receive a 15 minute educational presentation on the function of p16 and its role in development of lung cancer. They will then be assessed for airway obstruction by hand-held spirometry followed by review of a questionnaire assessing their understanding of the presented information, their concern for developing lung cancer, and their desire to quit smoking. All patients will be offered smoking cessation assistance at this point. Enrolled patients will then be given 3 sputum cups to take home and return with morning sputum samples by mail. Samples will be assessed for evidence of p16 methylation and patients will be informed of the results. Follow-up phone interviews will be performed at 2 to 4 weeks after patients have received their results by mail to assess their understanding of the results, and their desire to stop smoking. A final phone interview will occur approximately 3 months after the sputum testing to assess attempts to stop smoking as well as the patients continued understanding of their test results. For purposes of this pilot, we are interested primarily in the descriptive statistics (e.g., frequencies) associated with the outcome of each objective (e.g., how many expressed interest, how many returned the sputum samples).
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....
Background: - Many cigarette smokers claim that smoking improves their ability to think and concentrate, and have reported problems in thinking and concentration after quitting smoking. Some research has indicated that nicotine can enhance certain aspects of attention and memory in humans. However, more research is needed to determine how nicotine affects different elements of the brain s ability to think, pay attention, respond to rewards, and make decisions. Researchers are interested in using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to study the effects of nicotine on brain function and activity. Objectives: - To determine the effects of nicotine on attentional and other thinking processes, including reward-seeking behavior. Eligibility: - Individuals between 18 and 50 years of age who are either current smokers (10 or more cigarettes per day for at least 1 year) or nonsmokers. Design: - The study has four experiments. Each experiment requires two MRI scanning sessions and a training session. Participant can do one or all of the experiments. - Participants will receive training on the types of computerized tests that will be given during the active portion of the study. Participants will also fill out questionnaires on nicotine use and other alcohol and drug use, and provide breath and urine samples. - During the test sessions, participants will have fMRI scanning while performing up to four different sets of tasks that test attention, memory, concentration, reward-seeking behavior, and decision making. Smokers will wear a nicotine patch or placebo patch during the test sessions, but will not be told which patch they are receiving. The order of these sessions will be different for individual participants. - Participants will provide blood and urine samples throughout the research study for evaluation purposes.
Background: - Drugs of abuse have effects on mood, behavior, thinking, and decision making that may encourage people to continue using them and make it difficult for them to stop. Researchers who study these effects are interested in developing new tests to evaluate how drugs and drug use affect different areas of the brain. - Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans allow researchers to study brain activity and changes to brain function. When specific psychological tests are performed during functional MRI (fMRI) scans, researchers can examine the effects of drug use on the brain. By developing and testing new procedures for fMRI studies, more information can be obtained on brain function and activity in drug-using and non-drug-using individuals, and this information can help develop new treatments and therapies for substance abuse. Objectives: - To evaluate the effects of newly developed psychological procedures to be performed during fMRI scans. Eligibility: - Healthy volunteers between 13 and 65 years of age who are willing to undergo MRI scanning. - Both drug-using and non-drug-using individuals will be selected for this study. Design: - Before the start of the study, participants will complete questionnaires about medical and psychological history, and provide information about past or current drug use. Researchers will introduce the tasks to be performed during the scanning session(s), and will allow participants to practice the test either on a separate computer or on the computer used during the MRI scan. - During the study, participants will be asked to do one or more tasks selected by the researchers. The tasks will be performed on a computer in an MRI machine, and may involve receiving rewards (such as money or sips of juice) for actions, memory and reaction-time tests, or other tests that involve responding to instructions on the screen. - Participants will receive compensation for their participation in the study, including hourly compensation for individual visits and lump-sum compensation for each MRI scan....
Background: - Functional and structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques have allowed researchers to map and study how the brain works when at rest and when engaged in specific tasks. MRI scans have provided more information about how drugs affect the brain, and about how drug addiction changes the brain and influences behavior, mood, and thinking processes. To better understand the underlying mechanism of drug addiction and to develop strategies for more effective treatment, researchers are interested in developing new MRI techniques to study the effects of addiction on the brain. Objectives: - To develop new functional and structural MRI techniques, and to evaluate their potential use in brain imaging studies related to addiction. Eligibility: - Individuals between 18 and 80 years of age. - Participants may be smokers or nonsmokers, and may use drugs or not use drugs. Design: - During the initial screening, participants will complete questionnaires about family and personal history, drug use, and other information as required by the researchers. Participants who will be asked to complete tasks during the MRI scan will be shown how to perform these tasks before the scanning session. - Before each study session, participants may be asked to complete some or all of the following: questions about their drug use during the last week, a breathalyzer test, a urine drug-use assessment, a urine pregnancy test, or a measure of carbon monoxide. Participants will also provide blood samples before the start of the scan. - For each scanning session, participants will have an MRI scan that will last approximately 2 hours. - MRI scans may include specific tasks to be performed during the scan, or an experiment that studies the brain's response to carbon dioxide.
Background: - Some people with schizophrenia have problems with their working memory and paying attention for extended periods. These difficulties cannot be treated with antipsychotic medications or with many standard therapies. - The prevalence of cigarette smoking among individuals with schizophrenia is about three times higher than in the general population. Research has shown that nicotine, the addictive component found in cigarettes, can help improve attentional and working memory performance. Researchers are interested in learning more about whether there may be an overlap in the cognitive functions beneficially affected by nicotine and areas of dysfunction in individuals with schizophrenia. Objectives: - To evaluate the potential of transdermal nicotine to alleviate cognitive deficits in schizophrenia, and to determine whether naturally maintained cigarette-smoking, in comparison, is an effective self-medication. - To gather preliminary data on genetics that may account for individual and group differences in the performance effects of nicotine. Eligibility: - Current smokers (25 or more cigarettes per week for at least 1 year) between 18 and 55 years of age who are either healthy volunteers or have been diagnosed with schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder. Design: - The study will require five visits to the research center, with an initial screening visit, a training session, and three test sessions. Ideally, all visits will occur 1 week apart. - Training session: Participants will receive training on the types of computerized cognitive and attentional behavior tests that will be given during the active portion of the study. Participants will also fill out questionnaires on nicotine use and other alcohol and drug use. - Test sessions: Participants will be assigned to random groups and will complete tests that assess cognitive performance (a) while maintaining their usual smoking behavior, (b) after minimal deprivation (3.5 hours without smoking) while wearing a placebo patch, and (c) under the influence of a standard nicotine patch. The order of these sessions will be different for individual participants. - Participants will provide blood samples throughout the research study for evaluation purposes.
Background: - Many cigarette smokers claim that smoking helps them stay alert and improves their concentration, and have reported problems in attention and concentration after quitting smoking. Some research has indicated that nicotine can enhance certain aspects of attention and memory in humans. However, more research is needed to determine how nicotine affects different elements of the brain's ability to pay attention. Knowing which aspects of attention are affected by nicotine may help produce new medications and therapies to help people successfully stop smoking. Objectives: - To investigate the dose-related effects of nicotine on the ability to pay attention in smokers and nonsmokers. - To compare the effects of nicotine in smokers and nonsmokers. Eligibility: - Individuals between 18 and 50 years of age who are either current smokers (at least 15 cigarettes per day on average for at least 2 years) or healthy, nonsmoking volunteers. Design: - The study will consist of one training session and three testing sessions. Each session will last about 2 hours. - The training session will introduce participants to the study tests and evaluate their tolerance of the two levels of nicotine nasal spray used in the study. Smokers will receive the higher dose of nicotine to introduce them to the effects of the spray. Nonsmokers will be given first the lower dose of the spray, followed by higher dose at least 30 minutes later. Nonsmoking participants who cannot tolerate the higher dose will not continue in the study. - At the start of each testing session, smokers will have one cigarette to standardize the time of the most recent exposure to nicotine. - During the testing sessions, participants will receive a placebo spray, a lower dose of nicotine, or a higher dose of nicotine, and then will be asked to perform tests that evaluate mood, attention, and performance.
Background: - Treatment for nicotine addiction is characterized by high rates of relapse. New treatment therapies for nicotine addiction are exploring the use of brain scanning equipment to control and decrease nicotine and cigarette cravings. - Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) uses magnetic pulses to stimulate the brain. These pulses can change activity in parts of the brain. Researchers are interested in determining whether TMS delivered in single pulses can decrease activity in the parts of the brain that respond to nicotine craving. Objectives: - To determine whether single pulse TMS can reduce cue-induced nicotine craving and use in cigarette smokers. Eligibility: - Individuals 18 years of age and older who are physically healthy and have smoked 10 or more cigarettes per day for at least 1 year. - A small group of healthy nonsmoking control subjects 18 years of age and older will also participate in the study. Design: - The study will involve seven study visits and two follow-up visits. The control participants will have only two visits: one with a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan and one with TMS to evaluate brain function and response. - Participants will have an initial assessment about tobacco use habits and craving patterns, and will provide blood and urine samples before beginning the study. - Participants will have two initial MRI brain scans. The first scan will look at the structure of the brain at rest. During the other scan, participants will look at images related to and not related to cigarette smoking. - The single pulse TMS sessions (with either actual TMS or inactive [sham] TMS) will be held daily for 5 consecutive days. Magnetic pulses will be triggered by cigarette-related picture cues and delivered at varying intervals before the participant sees a cigarette-related picture. During these testing visits, researchers will ask questions related to tobacco use and craving, and collect urine and breath samples for further study. - Participants will have two follow-up visits, 1 week and 2 weeks after the TMS sessions, to evaluate memory and mood, and will have one final MRI brain scan at the end of the study.
Background: - The prevalence of cigarette smoking among individuals with schizophrenia is noticeably higher than in the general population, and smoking cessation attempts frequently are unsuccessful in this population. Little is known about the effects of cigarette/nicotine craving in individuals with schizophrenia. Researchers are interested in learning more about how craving affects people with schizophrenia and developing new ways to treat cravings and improve the effectiveness of smoking cessation therapies and treatments. - In recent years, virtual reality (VR) has been studied to determine whether it can be used to induce craving by using life-like cue settings. VR cues involving cigarette use, including images of cigarettes and scent cues of tobacco smoke, may be used to elicit craving in smokers. Researchers are interested in learning more about how individuals with schizophrenia respond to specific VR cues and settings. Objectives: - To determine the feasibility of using a contextual real-world paradigm using virtual reality involving cigarette smoking in people with schizophrenia. - To examine if virtual reality cues will elicit craving in smokers with schizophrenia. Eligibility: - Current smokers (five or more cigarettes per day for at least 1 year) between 18 and 45 years of age who have been diagnosed with schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder. Design: - The study will involve three sessions, with an initial screening visit, a test session, and a follow-up session. - Screening visit: Participants will be screened with a medical and psychiatric history, and will answer questions about smoking history, current smoking habits and craving patterns, and general anxiety levels. This session will also introduce participants to the operation and use of the VR equipment. Participants who are comfortable using the VR system will return within 2 days for the test session. - Test session: Participants will use the VR equipment to view neutral scenes and scenes that are designed to elicit cravings for cigarettes. After viewing each scene, participants will answer questions about their overall mood, anxiety levels, and any cigarette cravings they may have. - Follow-up session: Participants will return 1 week after the VR session to answer questions about mood, anxiety levels, and current smoking habits and craving patterns.