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Threshold dose for discrimination of nicotine via cigarette smoking

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Abstract

Rationale

The lowest nicotine threshold “dose” in cigarettes discriminated from a cigarette containing virtually no nicotine may help inform the minimum dose maintaining dependence.

Objectives

Spectrum research cigarettes (from NIDA) differing in nicotine content were used to evaluate a procedure to determine discrimination thresholds.

Methods

Dependent smokers (n = 18; 13 M, 5 F) were tested on ability to discriminate cigarettes with nicotine contents of 11, 5, 2.4, and 1.3 mg/g, one per session, from the “ultralow” cigarette with 0.4 mg/g, after having discriminated 16 mg/g from 0.4 mg/g (all had 9–10 mg “tar”). Exposure to each was limited to 4 puffs/trial. All subjects were abstinent from smoking overnight prior to each session, and the number of sessions was determined by the participant’s success in discrimination behavior on >80 % of trials. Subjective perceptions and behavioral choice between cigarettes were also assessed and related to discrimination behavior.

Results

The median threshold was 11 mg/g, but the range was 2.4 to 16 mg/g, suggesting wide variability in discrimination threshold. Compared to the ultralow, puff choice was greater for the subject’s threshold dose but only marginal for the subthreshold (next lowest nicotine) cigarette. Threshold and subthreshold also differed on subjective perceptions but not withdrawal relief.

Conclusions

Under these testing conditions, threshold content for discriminating nicotine via cigarettes may be 11 mg/g or greater for most smokers, but some can discriminate nicotine contents one-half or one-quarter this amount. Further study with other procedures and cigarette exposure amounts may identify systematic differences in nicotine discrimination thresholds.

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Acknowledgment

Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and Food and Drug Administration Center for Tobacco Products (CTP) (U54 DA031659). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH or the Food and Drug Administration.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 3811 O’Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA

    Kenneth A. Perkins, Nicole Kunkle, Joshua L. Karelitz & Valerie C. Michael

  2. Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, 210 S. Bouquet St., Pittsburgh, PA, 15260, USA

    Eric C. Donny

Authors
  1. Kenneth A. Perkins
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  2. Nicole Kunkle
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  3. Joshua L. Karelitz
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  4. Valerie C. Michael
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Correspondence to Kenneth A. Perkins.

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Perkins, K.A., Kunkle, N., Karelitz, J.L. et al. Threshold dose for discrimination of nicotine via cigarette smoking. Psychopharmacology 233, 2309–2317 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-016-4281-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-016-4281-2

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