Gender effects of nicotine, nicotine deprivation, and expectancy on affective processing: A psychophysiological investigation
Abstract
Gender differences in affective response to nicotine administration and deprivation were examined using startle eyeblink amplitude and self-report. Forty-four cigarette smokers (22 female) attended four laboratory sessions, which provided a complete crossing of two pre-laboratory deprivation conditions (12-hour deprived vs. nondeprived) with two in-session drug conditions (nicotine vs. placebo nasal spray). During each session, smokers viewed affective slides and were administered auditory probes to elicit startle eyeblink responses during positive, negative, and neutral slides. Self-report of affect and craving were measured prior to each session. Results indicated that nicotine given to deprived women reduced startle responding, whereas nicotine given to nondeprived women increased startle responding. Nasal spray did not interact with deprivation status in male smokers. The potentiation of startle response during negative compared to neutral slides was eliminated following nicotine administration in women but not men. Male and female smokers both reported increased negative affect and craving following deprivation. Neither expectancies for the negative affect reduction effects of smoking nor level of depression predicted startle response to nicotine. The startle results suggest that women were more reactive to the affectively modulating effects of nicotine than men.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Tiffany, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Psychotherapy|Physiological psychology
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