Nicotine Dependence Is Characterized by Disordered Reward Processing in a Network Driving Motivation
Abstract
Background Drug addiction is characterized by an unhealthy priority for drug consumption with a compulsive, uncontrolled drug-intake pattern due to a disordered motivational system. However, only some individuals become addicted, whereas others maintain regular but controlled drug use. Whether the transition occurs might depend on how individuals process drug relative to nondrug reward.Methods We applied functional magnetic resonance imaging to measure mesocorticolimbic activity to stimuli predicting monetary or cigarette reward, together with behavioral assessment of subsequent motivation to obtain the respective reward on a trial-by-trial basis, in 21 nicotine-dependent and 21 nondependent, occasional smokers.Results Occasional smokers showed increased reactivity of the mesocorticolimbic system to stimuli predicting monetary reward relative to cigarette reward and subsequently spent more effort to obtain money. In the group of dependent smokers, we found equivalent anticipatory activity and subsequent instrumental response rates for both reward types. Additionally, anticipatory mesocorticolimbic activation predicted subsequent motivation to obtain reward.Conclusions This imbalance in the incentive salience of drug relative to nondrug reward-predicting cues, in a network that drives motivation to obtain reward, could represent a central mechanism of drug addiction.
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Nicotine-dependent participants show mesocorticolimbic hypoactivation during monetary-reward motivation, which predicts motivation to obtain rewards.
“Bühler and collegues [154] reported mesocorticolimbic hypoactivation during monetary-reward motivation in nicotine-dependent participants, which predicted motivation to obtain rewards.”
From Reward circuitry dysfunction in psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders and genetic syndromes: animal models and clinical findings (2012) · cites this paper as [154]
The few studies that have evaluated potential relations between mesolimbic neural activity and subjectively experienced reward or motivation to work for rewards have yielded promising initial results suggesting the external validity of laboratory-based measures of reward processes.
“The few studies that have evaluated potential relations between mesolimbic neural activity and subjectively experienced reward [220] or motivation to work for rewards [154] have yielded promising initial results suggesting the external validity of laboratory-based measures of reward processes”
From Reward circuitry dysfunction in psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders and genetic syndromes: animal models and clinical findings (2012) · cites this paper as [154]
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- Authors
- Bühler, M., Vollstädt-Klein, S., Kobiella, A., Budde, H., Reed, L. J., Braus, D. F., Büchel, C., & Smolka, M. N.
- Affiliations
- Heidelberg University (DE)
- Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (DE)
- King's College London (GB)
- University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (DE)
- Neuroimaging Center (DE)
- Corresponding author
- Smolka, Michael N.
- Venue
- Biological Psychiatry
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2010-04
- Volume
- 67
- Issue
- 8
- Pages
- 745-752
- ISSN
- 0006-3223 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1988708433
- Cited by
- 185
- References
- 24
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 16 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 14 · 2016: 22 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 20 · 2013: 25 · 2012: 13
- FWCI
- 7.50
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Biological Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Research Portal (King's College London) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (SM 80/1-1, SM 80/1-2, SM 80/5-1)
- Pfizer
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Smoking Behavior and Cessation
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors Study
- Keywords
- nicotine dependence, drug addiction, reward processing, incentive salience, mesocorticolimbic system, motivation, monetary rewards, occasional smokers
- MeSH terms
- Algorithms, Cerebral Cortex, Cues, Humans, Functional Laterality, Limbic System, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Motivation, Nerve Net, Oxygen, Reward, Smoking, Substance Withdrawal Syndrome, Tobacco Use Disorder, Feedback, Psychological
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