Subjective response to nicotine by menstrual phase

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Endocrinology
• Addiction Science
• Behavioral Neuroscience

Background:

• The menstrual cycle may influence smoking cessation outcomes, with potential phase-specific responses to nicotine or non-nicotine interventions.
• Understanding this interaction is crucial for developing personalized smoking cessation strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the role of the menstrual phase (follicular vs. luteal) on women's subjective responses to nicotine during acute smoking abstinence.

Main Methods:

• A controlled cross-over trial involving 140 women who underwent two experimental sessions (follicular and luteal phases) after four days of verified smoking abstinence.
• Nicotine nasal spray was administered, and participants completed subjective assessments during each session.

Main Results:

• The luteal phase showed a significantly greater increase in stimulation and a greater decrease in the urge to smoke compared to the follicular phase after the first nicotine dose (p<0.05).
• No other significant differences were observed across the 13 measures examined at two time points.

Conclusions:

• The study found minimal evidence for significant menstrual phase differences in the subjective response to nicotine.
• Further research is warranted to validate these findings and explore other smoking reinforcements, like sensory aspects, across the menstrual cycle.