Intravenous nicotine reduces cerebral glucose metabolism: A preliminary study

Abstract

Nicotine is self-administered by smoking tobacco products, and enhances positive mood (at least in smokers). Since most drugs of abuse decrease regionalcerebralmetabolic rate(s) forglucose (rCMRglc) in human subjects, we posited that administration of nicotine wouldsimilarly reduce rCMRglc. Positron emission tomography (PET) with [F-18]fluorodeoxyglucose was used to assess the effects ofintravenous nicotine (1.5 mg) on cerebralglucose metabolism in six healthy male volunteers (21-38 years of age). Two PET assays(placebo and nicotine) were performed, and subjective self-reports of mood and feeling state were collected. Data were analyzed usinganalysis of variance. Nicotine reduced globalgluco..