Cited by 222Smoking Behavior and CessationNicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors StudySubstance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 55 of the 60 references it cites were found in a registry or an index; none of the 33 sources its claims cite is checked for support yet.

Varenicline Improves Mood and Cognition During Smoking Abstinence

Open access

Abstract

Background Neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are a key target in medication development efforts for a range of neuropsychiatric disorders, including nicotine dependence. Varenicline, a partial agonist at the α4β2 nAChRs, is a new efficacious medication for nicotine dependence. Its effects on the affective and cognitive dimensions of nicotine withdrawal have yet to be well characterized. Methods Sixty-seven treatment-seeking smokers were administered varenicline (× 21 days) and placebo (× 21 days) in a double-blind within-subject cross-over design. Following the medication run-up phase (days 1–10), there was a 3-day mandatory smoking abstinence phase (days 11–13) during which subjective symptoms and cognitive performance were assessed. Participants were re-exposed to a scheduled smoking lapse (day 14) and followed for days to lapse (days 15–21) in each medication period. Results In the varenicline period, compared to placebo, withdrawal symptoms (p=.04), smoking urges (p<.001), and negative affect (p=.01) were significantly reduced, and levels of positive affect (p=.046), sustained attention (p=.018) and working memory (p=.001) were significantly greater during mandatory abstinence. Varenicline also significantly reduced the subjective rewarding effects of the scheduled smoking lapse (e.g., satisfaction, relief, liking) (p=.003). Medication effects on days to lapse following the scheduled smoking lapse were dependent on treatment order (p=.001); among participants who received placebo in the first period, varenicline increased days of abstinence in the follow-up period. Conclusions These data identify novel affective and cognitive effects of varenicline, and may have implications for medication development for other neuropsychiatric conditions.

Overview

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TL;DR

In a double-blind within-subject crossover study of 67 treatment-seeking smokers, varenicline reduced withdrawal, urges, negative affect, and smoking reward while improving positive affect, sustained attention, and working memory during 3-day mandatory abstinence. Varenicline increased days to lapse only among participants who received placebo first, revealing an order-dependent effect.

Key findings

  • During mandatory abstinence (days 11–13), varenicline vs placebo significantly reduced withdrawal symptoms (p=.04), smoking urges (p<.001), and negative affect (p=.013), and increased positive affect (p=.046); effects were small to moderate (Cohen’s d = 0.26–0.42).
  • Varenicline improved cognitive performance: Letter-N-back correct reaction time (F=11.08, p=.001; d=0.21), Penn Continuous Performance Task true positives (F=7.28, p=.009; d=0.33), and CPT correct reaction time (F=5.86, p=.018); no medication effect was found for N-back true positives (p=.98) or the Conditional Exclusion Test.
  • Varenicline attenuated the subjective rewarding value of the scheduled lapse cigarette (F=9.25, p=.003; d=0.36), including satisfaction (p=.002; d=0.43), relief (p=.006; d=0.34), and liking (p=.001; d=0.41).
  • Days to lapse showed a significant treatment-by-order interaction (F=11.99, p=.001): among placebo-first participants, mean days to lapse were 4.63 (SD=2.86) with varenicline vs 2.57 (SD=2.94) with placebo (Z=3.16, p=.002; d=0.71); among varenicline-first participants, means were 4.19 (SD=3.04) vs 4.94 (SD=2.87) (Z=1.34, p=.18; d=−0.25). Side effects reported as moderate or severe by over 5% occurred in 55.2% (37/67) on varenicline vs 28.4% (19/67) on placebo at day 10.

Methods

  • Double-blind, placebo-controlled, within-subject crossover study of 67 treatment-seeking smokers (≥18 years, ≥10 cigarettes/day for previous 12 months; mean age 44.6 years, SD=11.6; 56.7% female; baseline mean 21.5 cigarettes/day, SD=10.0). Participants completed two 21-day medication periods (varenicline and placebo in counterbalanced order) with a 5–7 day washout; varenicline was titrated per standard guidelines, followed by a 10-day run-up, 3-day mandatory abstinence (days 11–13), scheduled smoking lapse (day 14), and follow-up days 15–21.
  • Outcomes included subjective withdrawal symptoms, smoking urges, PANAS positive/negative affect, computerized neurocognitive tasks (Letter-N-back, Penn Continuous Performance Task, Conditional Exclusion Test) at baseline and day 13, Cigarette Evaluation Scale and Sensory Questionnaire after the lapse cigarette, CO-verified abstinence, medication adherence, and side-effect severity.
  • Mixed effects models tested medication effects, controlling for sex, baseline cigarettes per day, and medication order; subjective models also included day 10 (smoking as usual) levels as a time-varying covariate, and neurocognitive models included baseline scores as a time-invariant covariate. Cohen’s d was calculated for raw varenicline–placebo differences.

Limitations

  • The authors state that order effects were observed for the smoking abstinence outcome: varenicline increased days to lapse only among participants who received placebo first, not among those who received varenicline first. They suggest this may reflect greater self-efficacy after varenicline-induced abstinence success or longer-lasting nAChR modulation.
  • The authors note recent reports of adverse psychiatric events with varenicline but state it is not possible to determine whether these events are partly attributable to nicotine withdrawal.
  • Evident from the text: the abstinence phase was only 3 days and lapse follow-up only 7 days; several medication effects were small; the positive affect effect became nonsignificant when side-effect severity was included as a covariate (F=1.62, p=.21); side effects were more common on varenicline, which could affect blinding; and the sample excluded current or historical DSM-IV Axis I psychiatric disorders or substance abuse other than nicotine, limiting generalizability.

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Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1016/j.biopsych.2008.08.028

Cites

55 of 55 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • It may state two separate claims as one. 14
  • The quote only partly states this claim. 1
  • Probably not a substantial claim. 15
24 of 24
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The 5–7 day washout period between the two medication periods was sufficient to eliminate carryover effects of varenicline.

    “a 5–7 day washout period (four participants had longer washout periods due to scheduling issues)”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The sample of treatment-seeking smokers is representative enough to generalize the study's findings to clinical populations of smokers attempting to quit.

    “To increase the generalizability of results to the clinical setting, we enrolled treatment-seeking smokers (those planning to quit in the next 3 months) (19, 20).”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The placebo capsule was indistinguishable from the active medication, so blinding was maintained.

    “The placebo was a sucrose capsule that resembled the active medication (active medication was encapsulated also).”
3 of 3

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  • Consistentz = 3.16reported p = .002 · recomputed p = .002

    “(Z=3.16, p = .002”

  • Consistentz = 1.34reported p = .18 · recomputed p = .180

    “(Z=1.34, p = .18”

  • Consistentz = 1.89reported p = .06 · recomputed p = .059

    “(Z = 1.89, p = .06”

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Citations

Cites

Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. Westman, 1992, Smoking while wearing the nicotine patch: Is smoking satisfying or harmful?, Clin Res, 40, 871A

Cited by

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Metadata

Authors
Patterson, F., Jepson, C., Strasser, A. A., Loughead, J., Perkins, K. A., Gur, R. C., Frey, J. M., Siegel, S., & Lerman, C.
Affiliations
  • University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (US)
  • University of Pennsylvania (US)
  • Abramson Cancer Center (US)
  • University of Pittsburgh (US)
  • AstraZeneca (United States) (US)
Corresponding author
Lerman, Caryn
Venue
Biological Psychiatry
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2009-01
Volume
65
Issue
2
Pages
144-149
ISSN
0006-3223 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2070192651
Cited by
222
References
60
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 16 · 2016: 22 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 24 · 2013: 23 · 2012: 19
FWCI
11.32
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Biological Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • U.S. Public Health Service (P5084718)
  • National Cancer Institute (P50CA084718)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Smoking Behavior and Cessation
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors Study
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
Keywords
varenicline, nicotine dependence, smoking abstinence, nicotine withdrawal symptoms, smoking urges, mood, cognition, sustained attention, working memory, α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, smoking lapse
MeSH terms
Varenicline, Adult, Affect, Attention, Benzazepines, Cognition, Double-Blind Method, Female, Humans, Male, Memory, Short-Term, Middle Aged, Quinoxalines, Reaction Time, Substance Withdrawal Syndrome, Smoking Cessation, Cross-Over Studies, Nicotinic Agonists

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