OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine the effect of acute tobacco abstinence on cortisol levels in regular smokers, and whether abstinence-induced changes in cortisol levels are correlated with various signs and symptoms of the tobacco withdrawal syndrome. METHODS: Smokers (N = 77, ≥15 cigarettes/day) attended two counterbalanced sessions (avg = 1 h), one following 12-20 h of abstinence and the other following ad lib smoking. At both sessions, salivary cortisol levels were measured at three time points. Additionally, a battery of self-report questionnaires, physiological assessments, and cognitive performance tasks were administered to measure signs and symptoms of tobacco withdrawal. RESULTS: Salivary cortisol levels were significantly lower during the abstinent session versus the non-abstinent session. No significant associations were found between abstinence-induced changes in cortisol and other tobacco withdrawal measures, although there was suggestive evidence that abstinence-induced changes in cortisol levels and hunger were inversely associated to a modest degree. CONCLUSION: Acute tobacco abstinence was associated with decreased cortisol levels. Cortisol dampening during acute tobacco abstinence may reflect nicotine-mediated modulation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity, which may be relevant to the maintenance of tobacco dependence. Tobacco-withdrawal cortisol changes do not appear to be a cause or consequence of many manifestations of acute tobacco withdrawal with the possible exception of hunger.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine the effect of acute tobacco abstinence on cortisol levels in regular smokers, and whether abstinence-induced changes in cortisol levels are correlated with various signs and symptoms of the tobaccowithdrawal syndrome. METHODS: Smokers (N = 77, ≥15 cigarettes/day) attended two counterbalanced sessions (avg = 1 h), one following 12-20 h of abstinence and the other following ad lib smoking. At both sessions, salivary cortisol levels were measured at three time points. Additionally, a battery of self-report questionnaires, physiological assessments, and cognitive performance tasks were administered to measure signs and symptoms of tobacco withdrawal. RESULTS: Salivary cortisol levels were significantly lower during the abstinent session versus the non-abstinent session. No significant associations were found between abstinence-induced changes in cortisol and other tobacco withdrawal measures, although there was suggestive evidence that abstinence-induced changes in cortisol levels and hunger were inversely associated to a modest degree. CONCLUSION: Acute tobacco abstinence was associated with decreased cortisol levels. Cortisol dampening during acute tobacco abstinence may reflect nicotine-mediated modulation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity, which may be relevant to the maintenance of tobacco dependence. Tobacco-withdrawal cortisol changes do not appear to be a cause or consequence of many manifestations of acute tobacco withdrawal with the possible exception of hunger.
Authors: Saul Shiffman; Stuart G Ferguson; Chad J Gwaltney; Mark H Balabanis; William G Shadel Journal: Psychopharmacology (Berl) Date: 2005-11-01 Impact factor: 4.530
Authors: Adam M Leventhal; Andrew J Waters; Eric T Moolchan; Stephen J Heishman; Wallace B Pickworth Journal: Addict Behav Date: 2010-08-10 Impact factor: 3.913
Authors: Jonas Wetterö; Sarah von Löhneysen; Flordelyn Cobar; Margareta Kristenson; Peter Garvin; Christopher Sjöwall Journal: Front Immunol Date: 2021-01-08 Impact factor: 7.561
Authors: Mohammad Wazzan; Mohammed Estaitia; Sima Habrawi; Dina Mansour; Zain Jalal; Hadir Ahmed; Hayder A Hasan; Sausan Al Kawas Journal: Acta Biomed Date: 2022-01-19