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Optimizing treatments for nicotine dependence by increasing cognitive performance during withdrawal.
Rebecca L Ashare1, Heath D Schmidt
1University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Nicotine Addiction, Department of Psychiatry , 3535 Market St, Suite 4100, Philadelphia, PA 19104 , USA +1 215 746 5789 ; rlashare@mail.med.upenn.edu.
Expert Opinion on Drug Discovery
|April 9, 2014
Summary
Novel smoking cessation medications are needed as current options have limited efficacy. Targeting cognitive impairments during nicotine withdrawal, such as attention deficits, may offer a new strategy to prevent relapse and aid smoking cessation.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pharmacology
- Addiction Medicine
Background:
- Current smoking cessation pharmacotherapies demonstrate limited efficacy and high relapse rates.
- Nicotine withdrawal is characterized by cognitive impairments, including deficits in working memory, attention, and response inhibition.
- These cognitive deficits during nicotine withdrawal are a potential therapeutic target for smoking cessation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the clinical literature on cognitive deficits associated with nicotine withdrawal.
- To explore novel pharmacotherapies that enhance cognitive performance during nicotine withdrawal.
- To identify promising targets for developing new smoking cessation medications.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of clinical studies on nicotine withdrawal and cognitive function.
- Summary of different classes of compounds and strategies for cognitive enhancement.
- Emphasis on translational research for potential clinical trials.
Main Results:
- Nicotine withdrawal is consistently associated with deficits in working memory, attention, and response inhibition.
- Cognitive-enhancing strategies show promise for targeting these withdrawal-induced deficits.
- Translational research provides a rationale for evaluating these strategies in pilot clinical trials.
Conclusions:
- Cognitive dysfunction is a plausible phenotype of nicotine withdrawal.
- Cognitive-enhancing medications could serve as effective treatments for nicotine dependence.
- Translational paradigms offer efficient evaluation of novel smoking cessation agents.
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