Cited by 62Smoking Behavior and CessationNicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors StudySubstance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes

Smoking-related cue-induced brain activation in adolescent light smokers

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Rubinstein, Mark L., Luks, Tracy L., Moscicki, Anna-Barbara, Dryden, Wendy, Rait, Michelle A., Simpson, Gregory V.·2011·Journal of Adolescent Health

Abstract

Purpose To examine using functional magnetic resonance imaging whether adolescents with low levels of nicotine exposure (light smokers) display neural activation in areas shown to be involved with addiction in response to smoking-related stimuli.Design/setting/participants A total of 12 adolescent light smokers (aged 13-17, who smoked 1-5 cigarettes per day) and 12 nonsmokers (ages 13-17, never smoked a cigarette) from the San Francisco Bay Area underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging scanning. During scanning, the adolescents were shown photographic blocks of smoking and control cues. Smoking cues comprised pictures of individuals smoking cigarettes and smoking-related objects such as lighters and ashtrays. Neutral cues comprised images of everyday objects and individuals engaged in daily activities.Findings For smokers, smoking cues elicited greater activation than neutral cues in the mesolimbic reward circuit (left anterior cingulate: t = 7.04, p < .001; right hippocampus: t = 6.37, p < .001). We found activation from smoking cues versus neutral cues within both the left and right frontal medial orbital regions (t = 5.09, p < .001 and t = 3.94, p = .001, respectively). Nonsmokers showed no significant difference in activation between smoking-related cues and neutral cues.Conclusion Our finding that smoking cues produced activation in adolescent light smokers in brain regions, similar to that seen in adult and teenage heavy smokers, suggests that adolescents exhibit heightened reactivity to smoking cues even at low levels of smoking. This article adds to the existing published data by suggesting that nicotine dependence may begin with exposure to low levels of nicotine, thus underscoring the need for early intervention among adolescent smokers.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2010.09.016

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Authors
Rubinstein, M. L., Luks, T. L., Moscicki, A.-B., Dryden, W., Rait, M. A., & Simpson, G. V.
Affiliations
University of California, San Francisco (US)
Corresponding author
Rubinstein, Mark L.
Venue
Journal of Adolescent Health
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2011-01
Volume
48
Issue
1
Pages
7-12
ISSN
1054-139X (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2040833852
Cited by
62
References
38
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 6
FWCI
4.77
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Adolescent Health (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • NIH/NCRR UCSF-CTSI (UL1 RR024131)
  • NIH/NCI (R01 CA140216)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › 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
adolescent smoking, light smokers, smoking cues, nicotine dependence, anterior cingulate cortex, hippocampus, nicotine exposure, early intervention
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Arousal, Brain Mapping, Cues, Dominance, Cerebral, Female, Frontal Lobe, Hippocampus, Humans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Photic Stimulation, Smoking, Substance Withdrawal Syndrome

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