Potential sex differences in the pattern of sensory reinforcers enhanced by nicotine

Along with its primary and secondary reinforcing effects, nicotine acutely enhances reinforcement from rewards not directly related to nicotine, particularly those consisting of "sensory" stimuli. Less certain is the magnitude of these effects across types of sensory reinforcers commonly available in the natural environment, especially under different smoking exposure conditions of clinical relevance. This study compared reinforced responding for immediate auditory (music) or visual (video) sensory rewards, or no reward (nonspecific control), due to nicotine via ad lib smoking versus no nicotine (overnight abstinence), in a within-subjects design. Dependent smokers (N = 48; 21 male, 27 female) responded on an operant computer task for small units of the designated rewards during 2 sessions, following overnight abstinence (>12 hr; CO ≤ 10 ppm) or no abstinence (i.e., ad lib smoking). Preferred music and video rewards were each selected by participants to ensure their equal initial reinforcing efficacy. Responding reinforced by music and by video rewards, but not by no reward, was similarly enhanced by ad lib smoking in the entire sample. Yet, in post hoc follow-ups, the smoking-induced increase in responding for music was greater in women versus men, while the increase in responding for video was greater in men versus women. Results confirm the comparability of the reinforcement enhancing effects of nicotine via smoking on both auditory and visual rewards, consistent with the notion that enhanced sensory reinforcement may contribute to persistence of smoking behavior. However, findings also suggest the specific pattern of sensory reinforcers enhanced by nicotine may differ between men and women. (PsycINFO Database Record