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Updated: Jul 14, 2026

Spectral Confocal Imaging of Fluorescently tagged Nicotinic Receptors in Knock-in Mice with Chronic Nicotine Administration
Published on: February 10, 2012
Caffeine's influence on nicotine's effects in nonsmokers
Melissa D Blank1, Bethea A Kleykamp, Janine M Jennings
1Virginia Commonwealth University, Department of Psychology, Richmond, VA 23298-0205, USA. blankmd@vcu.edu
Objective:
To determine if nicotine's effects are influenced by caffeine in nonsmoking, moderate-caffeine consuming individuals (N=20).
Methods:
The first 3 sessions included one of 3 randomly ordered, double-blind caffeine doses (0, 75, or 150 mg, oral [po]) and 2 single-blind nicotine gum doses (2 and 4 mg) in ascending order. The fourth session (single blind) repeated the 0 mg caffeine condition.
Results:
Nicotine increased heart rate and subjective ratings indicative of aversive effects, and decreased reaction times. These effects were independent of caffeine dose and reliable across sessions.
Conclusions:
In nonsmokers, nicotine effects are not influenced by moderate caffeine doses.
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