This paper reviews findings from placebo-controlled human experimental studies of the effects of nicotine on subjective experience. Studies are grouped according to whether participants were smokers (significantly nicotine deprived, minimally nicotine deprived) or non-smokers. Within each category, studies are also grouped according to method of nicotine administration (e.g., smoked tobacco, nasal spray) and nicotine dose. This review of studies is preceded by a discussion of several methodological issues in studies of nicotine and mood. The principal findings of this review are: (1) there is a linear relationship between nicotine dose and measures of drug high (e.g., head rush, euphoria) in significantly nicotine-deprived smokers; (2) there appear to be few positive or negative main effects of nicotine on mood in minimally nicotine-deprived smokers; (3) nicotine has positive effects (e.g., increases head rush) and negative effects (e.g., increases tension) in non-smokers; (4) stronger effects of nicotine on mood emerge when individual difference variables (e.g., neuroticism) and situational contingencies (e.g., exposure to stressful stimuli) are examined. Additional studies with minimally nicotine-deprived smokers and non-smokers are needed to further specify the conditions under which nicotine affects mood and other subjective experience. The review concludes with a discussion of putative mechanisms that may mediate the interaction between nicotine and moderating variables on affect and with suggestions for future research.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
David Kalman (2002) studied this question.