Identifying Biomarkers of Stress-induced Neurophysiological Changes and Emotion Regulation Deficits to Predict Relapse During Nicotine Abstinence
Overview
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Intervention
- Not specified
- Conditions
- Smoking
- Sponsor
- University of Cyprus
- Enrollment
- 200
- Primary Endpoint
- Time to First Smoking Lapse
- Status
- Recruiting
- Last Updated
- last year
Overview
Brief Summary
This study aims to investigate the associations between emotion regulation ability, stress-induced neural activity changes, and susceptibility to relapse in smokers attempting to quit. Participants will undergo assessments of emotion regulation, neural activity via quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG), and stress responses before and during a 24-hour nicotine abstinence period. They will then participate in a computerized smoking cessation intervention, and their abstinence status will be monitored for 6 months.
Detailed Description
The study will examine the unique and interactive effects of emotion regulation ability (a trait-like vulnerability factor) and biomarkers of stress responses (emotion regulation and neural activation changes) prior to smoking cessation, on cravings, abstinence adherence, and response to a smoking cessation intervention. The study will be divided into three main phases: * Ad libitum nicotine use (Day 1): Participants will smoke as usual. Baseline assessments of emotion regulation (heart rate variability), neural activity (qEEG), stress responses (salivary cortisol), and nicotine craving will be conducted before and after exposure to a stress task. * Acute 24-hour abstinence (Day 2): Participants will abstain from smoking for 24 hours. Emotion regulation, neural activity, withdrawal symptoms, and cue-induced cravings will be assessed. * Smoking cessation intervention (Days 3 to 180): Participants will engage in a computerized smoking cessation program. Abstinence will be biochemically verified at 3 and 6 months post-quit. Smoking lapses and time to relapse will also be monitored. The primary outcomes are maintenance of abstinence, smoking lapses, and time to relapse. Secondary outcomes include changes in emotion regulation, neural activity, stress responses, withdrawal symptoms, and cue-induced cravings. The study hypothesizes that smokers who fail to maintain long-term abstinence will exhibit enhanced stress-induced high-frequency qEEG oscillations, disrupted connectivity in emotion regulation brain regions, and emotion regulation deficits. It is also hypothesized that the interplay between these measures will predict smoking cessation outcomes.
Investigators
Panos Zanos
Assistant Professor of Neuropharmacology
University of Cyprus
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- •Age 18-60 years
- •Smoking at least 10 cigarettes daily for at least 2 years
- •Intention to quit smoking
- •Medication-free
Exclusion Criteria
- •Presence of psychiatric or medical treatment
- •Pregnancy
- •Current unstable medical illness
- •Recent (prior 6 months) drug or alcohol use disorder
- •Major Depression
- •Diagnosis of psychotic disorder
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Time to First Smoking Lapse
Time Frame: 6 months
Defined as the number of days between the quit date and the first smoking lapse (smoking even a puff of a cigarette). Smoking lapses will be monitored continuously via self-report.
Maintenance of Abstinence
Time Frame: Measured at 3 and 6 month follow-ups
Defined as biochemically verified (via expired carbon monoxide) continuous abstinence from smoking for the full 6 month period after the quit date
Secondary Outcomes
- Withdrawal Symptoms(Baseline, 24 hours)
- Stress Responses(Baseline, 24 hours)
- Emotion Regulation(Baseline, 24 hours)
- Neural Activity(Baseline, 24 hours)