Skip to main content
Journal cover image

Nicotine Withdrawal Induces Neural Deficits in Reward Processing.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Oliver, JA; Evans, DE; Addicott, MA; Potts, GF; Brandon, TH; Drobes, DJ
Published in: Nicotine Tob Res
June 1, 2017

INTRODUCTION: Nicotine withdrawal reduces neurobiological responses to nonsmoking rewards. Insight into these reward deficits could inform the development of targeted interventions. This study examined the effect of withdrawal on neural and behavioral responses during a reward prediction task. METHODS: Smokers (N = 48) attended two laboratory sessions following overnight abstinence. Withdrawal was manipulated by having participants smoke three regular nicotine (0.6 mg yield; satiation) or very low nicotine (0.05 mg yield; withdrawal) cigarettes. Electrophysiological recordings of neural activity were obtained while participants completed a reward prediction task that involved viewing four combinations of predictive and reward-determining stimuli: (1) Unexpected Reward; (2) Predicted Reward; (3) Predicted Punishment; (4) Unexpected Punishment. The task evokes a medial frontal negativity that mimics the phasic pattern of dopaminergic firing in ventral tegmental regions associated with reward prediction errors. RESULTS: Nicotine withdrawal decreased the amplitude of the medial frontal negativity equally across all trial types (p < .001). Exploratory analyses indicated withdrawal increased time to initiate the next trial following unexpected punishment trials (p < .001) and response time on reward trials during withdrawal was positively related to nicotine dependence (p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Nicotine withdrawal had equivocal impact across trial types, suggesting reward processing deficits are unlikely to stem from changes in phasic dopaminergic activity during prediction errors. Effects on tonic activity may be more pronounced. Pharmacological interventions directly targeting the dopamine system and behavioral interventions designed to increase reward motivation and responsiveness (eg, behavioral activation) may aid in mitigating withdrawal symptoms and potentially improving smoking cessation outcomes. IMPLICATIONS: Findings from this study indicate nicotine withdrawal impacts reward processing signals that are observable in smokers' neural activity. This may play a role in the subjective aversive experience of nicotine withdrawal and potentially contribute to smoking relapse. Interventions that address abnormal responding to both pleasant and unpleasant stimuli may be particularly effective for alleviating nicotine withdrawal.

Duke Scholars

Altmetric Attention Stats
Dimensions Citation Stats

Published In

Nicotine Tob Res

DOI

EISSN

1469-994X

Publication Date

June 1, 2017

Volume

19

Issue

6

Start / End Page

686 / 693

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • Young Adult
  • Tobacco Use Disorder
  • Substance Withdrawal Syndrome
  • Smoking Cessation
  • Reward
  • Public Health
  • Nicotine
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Humans
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Oliver, J. A., Evans, D. E., Addicott, M. A., Potts, G. F., Brandon, T. H., & Drobes, D. J. (2017). Nicotine Withdrawal Induces Neural Deficits in Reward Processing. Nicotine Tob Res, 19(6), 686–693. https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntx067
Oliver, Jason A., David E. Evans, Merideth A. Addicott, Geoffrey F. Potts, Thomas H. Brandon, and David J. Drobes. “Nicotine Withdrawal Induces Neural Deficits in Reward Processing.Nicotine Tob Res 19, no. 6 (June 1, 2017): 686–93. https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntx067.
Oliver JA, Evans DE, Addicott MA, Potts GF, Brandon TH, Drobes DJ. Nicotine Withdrawal Induces Neural Deficits in Reward Processing. Nicotine Tob Res. 2017 Jun 1;19(6):686–93.
Oliver, Jason A., et al. “Nicotine Withdrawal Induces Neural Deficits in Reward Processing.Nicotine Tob Res, vol. 19, no. 6, June 2017, pp. 686–93. Pubmed, doi:10.1093/ntr/ntx067.
Oliver JA, Evans DE, Addicott MA, Potts GF, Brandon TH, Drobes DJ. Nicotine Withdrawal Induces Neural Deficits in Reward Processing. Nicotine Tob Res. 2017 Jun 1;19(6):686–693.
Journal cover image

Published In

Nicotine Tob Res

DOI

EISSN

1469-994X

Publication Date

June 1, 2017

Volume

19

Issue

6

Start / End Page

686 / 693

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • Young Adult
  • Tobacco Use Disorder
  • Substance Withdrawal Syndrome
  • Smoking Cessation
  • Reward
  • Public Health
  • Nicotine
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Humans