Influence of nicotine on positive affect in anhedonic smokers

Rationale The possibility that individuals administer nicotine to self-regulate persistent negative affect has received interest as a possible explanation for the high prevalence of affectively vulnerable smokers. Relatively overlooked, however, is the possibility that smokers might also self-administer nicotine to elevate low positive affect. Objectives This study examined whether nicotine administration augmented anhedonic smokers' positive affective response to a positive mood induction. Materials and methods Fifty regular smokers (50% female) underwent two positive mood inductions during which they smoked either a nicotinized or denicotinized cigarette in counterbalanced order. Positive affect was assessed before and at two time points after smoking. Results Random effects regression showed a significant anhedonia by condition-by-time interaction [t(181)=-2.01, p=0.04], supporting the hypothesis that anhedonia moderated nicotine's effect on changes in positive affect. Simple effect analyses showed a significant condition-by-time interaction among high anhedonic smokers [t(91)=2.47, p=0.01] but not among less anhedonic smokers [t(91)=0.34, p=0.73]. Conclusion Smoking nicotine vs placebo heightened anhedonic smokers' ability to be induced into a positive mood, whereas nicotine had no effect on more hedonic smokers' positive mood.