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Increased dopamine availability magnifies nicotine effects on cognitive control: A pilot study.

ABSTRACT: INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES:The ability to adapt to new task demands flexibly and to stabilise performance in the presence of distractors is termed cognitive control and is mediated by dopaminergic and cholinergic neurotransmission. We aimed to test the hypothesis that the effect of the cholinergic agonist nicotine on cognitive control depends on baseline dopamine levels. METHODS:Thirty-eight healthy non-smokers (16 males; Mage=24.05 years) performed a cognitive control task including distractor and switch trials twice. Subjects were split into two parallel groups. One group received 2?g of L-tyrosine two hours prior to testing to manipulate dopamine availability experimentally, while the other group received placebo on both days. One hour later, both groups received in a within-subject design: on one day, a 7?mg nicotine patch; on the other day, a matched placebo. Response time costs for distractor and switch trials served as measures of cognitive stability and flexibility. RESULTS:Nicotinic modulation reduced response time costs in switch trials and increased costs in distractor trials (nicotine×condition, p=0.027) with a trend-wise interaction between nicotine, L-tyrosine and trial type (nicotine×L-tyrosine×condition, p=0.068), which was due to stronger nicotine effects under L-tyrosine. CONCLUSIONS:Our data provide preliminary evidence that nicotine has opponent effects on cognitive stability and flexibility. Subjects who received the dopamine precursor L-tyrosine were more prone to nicotine effects on behaviours, which are improvements in cognitive flexibility at the cost of decreased cognitive stability.

SUBMITTER: Ahrens S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7370651 | biostudies-literature | 2020 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Increased dopamine availability magnifies nicotine effects on cognitive control: A pilot study.

Ahrens Stefan S Laux Joana J Müller Christina C Thiel Christiane M CM

Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) 20200305 5

<h4>Introduction and objectives</h4>The ability to adapt to new task demands flexibly and to stabilise performance in the presence of distractors is termed cognitive control and is mediated by dopaminergic and cholinergic neurotransmission. We aimed to test the hypothesis that the effect of the cholinergic agonist nicotine on cognitive control depends on baseline dopamine levels.<h4>Methods</h4>Thirty-eight healthy non-smokers (16 males; <i>M</i><sub>age</sub>=24.05 years) performed a cognitive ...[more]

PMID: 32133910

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Project description:Studies suggest that people suffering from chronic pain may have altered brain plasticity, along with altered functional connectivity between pain-processing brain regions. These may be related to decreased mood and cognitive performance. There is some debate as to whether physical activity combined with behavioral therapy (e.g. cognitive distraction, body scan) may counteract these changes. However, underlying neuronal mechanisms are unclear. The aim of the current pilot study with a 3-armed randomized controlled trial design was to examine the effects of sensorimotor training for nonspecific chronic low back pain on (1) cognitive performance; (2) fMRI activity co-fluctuations (functional connectivity) between pain-related brain regions; and (3) the relationship between functional connectivity and subjective variables (pain and depression). Six hundred and sixty two volunteers with non-specific chronic low back pain were randomly allocated to a unimodal (sensorimotor training), multidisciplinary (sensorimotor training and behavioral therapy) intervention, or to a control group within a multicenter study. A subsample of patients (n = 21) from one study center participated in the pilot study presented here. Measurements were at baseline, during (3 weeks, M2) and after intervention (12 weeks, M4 and 24 weeks, M5). Cognitive performance was measured by the Trail Making Test and functional connectivity by MRI. Pain perception and depression were assessed by the Von Korff questionnaire and the Hospital and Anxiety. Group differences were calculated by univariate and repeated ANOVA measures and Bayesian statistics; correlations by Pearson's r. Change and correlation of functional connection were analyzed within a pooled intervention group (uni-, multidisciplinary group). Results revealed that participants with increased pain intensity at baseline showed higher functional connectivity between pain-related brain areas used as ROIs in this study. Though small sample sizes limit generalization, cognitive performance increased in the multimodal group. Increased functional connectivity was observed in participants with increased pain ratings. Pain ratings and connectivity in pain-related brain regions decreased after the intervention. The results provide preliminary indication that intervention effects can potentially be achieved on the cognitive and neuronal level. The intervention may be suitable for therapy and prevention of non-specific chronic low back pain.

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Increased dopamine availability magnifies nicotine effects on cognitive control: A pilot study.

Publications

Increased dopamine availability magnifies nicotine effects on cognitive control: A pilot study.

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