Abstract
This study examined the antinociceptive effects of smoking in nine habitual smokers under deprived (12 h) and minimally-deprived (<30 min) conditions. Pain threshold for thermal stimuli, heart rate, blood pressure and ratings of mood, arousal, dominance and well-being were assessed before and after smoking a cigarette. Overall, smoking affected all measured variables in the expected direction, leading to increased physiological activity, elevated pain threshold and improved mood. However, most of these effects depended on the deprivation status of the subjects, such that smoking after deprivation increased pain threshold whereas smoking after minimal deprivation did not. Pain threshold before smoking was the same for both groups. Deprived subjects had lower pre-smoke diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, and arousal levels, which rose to equal minimally-deprived subjects' scores after smoking.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aceto MD, Awaya H, Martin BRM, May EL, (1983) Antinociceptive action of nicotine and its methiodide derivates in mice and rats. Br J Pharmacol 79:869–876
Benowitz NL, Porchet H, Jacob P (1990) Pharmacokinetics, metabolism, and pharmacodynamics of nicotine. In: Wannacott S, MAH Russell, IP Stolerman (eds) Nicotine psychopharmacology. Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp 112–156.
Bradley MM, Greenwald MK, Hamm AO (1993) Affective picture processing. In: Birbaumer N, A. Öhman (eds) The structure of emotion. Hogrefe & Huber, Seattle, pp 48–68
Fertig BJ, Pomerleau OF, Sanders B (1986) Nicotine-produced antinoception in minimally deprived smokers and ex-smokers. Addict Behav 11:239–248
Galfe G, Lautenbacher S, Hölzl R, Strian F (1990) Diagnosis of small-fibre neuropathy: computer assisted methods of combined pain and thermal sensitivity determination. Hospimedica 18:38–48
Iwamoto ET (1989) Antinociception after nicotine administration into the mesopontine tegmentum of rats: evidence for muscarinic actions. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 251:412–421
Knott VJ (1990) Effects of cigarette smoking on subjective and brain evoked responses to electrical pain stimulation. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 35:341–346
Lang PJ (1980) Behavioral treatment and bio-behavioral assessment: computer applications. In: Sidowski JB, JH Johnson, TA Williams (eds) Technology in mental health care delivery systems Norwood, Ablex, NJ, pp 119–137
Lautenbacher S, Galfe G, Möltner A, Strian F (1989) Alterskorrigierte Normadaten für die Bestimmung der Temperatur-und Schmerzempfindlichkeit mit dem MPI-100 Path-Tester. Max-Planck-Institut für Psychiatrie, München, unpublished manuscript
Nesbitt PD (1973) Smoking, physiological arousal, and emotional response. J Pers Soc Psychol 25[1]:137–144
Phan DV Dóda M, Bite A, György L (1973) Antinociceptive activity of nicotine. Acta Physiol Acad Sci Hung 44[1]:85–93
Pomerleau OF, Turk DC, Fertig JB (1984) The effects of cigarette smoking on pain and anxiety. Addict Behav 9:265–271
Porchet HC, Benowitz NL, Sheiner LB (1988) Pharmacodynamic model of tolerance: application to nicotine. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 244[1]:231–236
Russell MAH (1990) Nicotine intake and its control over smoking. In: Wonnacott S, MAH Russell, IP Stolerman (eds) Nicotine psychopharmacology. Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp 374–411
Siegel S (1983) Classical conditioning, drug tolerance, and drug dependence. In: Israel I (eds) Research advances in alcohol and drug problems, Plenum Press, New York
Silverstein B (1982) Cigarette smoking, nicotine addiction, and relaxation. J Pers Soc Psychol 42[5]:946–950
Sult SC, Moss RA (1986) The effects of cigarette smoking on the perception of electrical stimulation and cold pressor pain. Addict Behav 11:447–451
Tripathi HL, Martin BR, Aceto MD (1982) Nicotine-induced antinociception in rats and mice: correlation with nicotine brain levels. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 221[1]:91–96
von Zerssen D (1976) Die Befindlichkeits-Skala. Beltz Test, Weinheim
Waller D, Schalling D, Levander S, Edman G (1983) Smoking, pain tolerance, and physiological activation. Psychopharmacology 79:193–198
Warburton DM (1990) Psychopharmacological aspects of nicotine. In: Wonnacott S, MAH Russell, IP Stolerman (eds) Nicotine psychopharmacology. Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp 77–111
West RJ, Russell MAH (1987) Cardiovascular and subjective effects of smoking before and after 24 h of abstinence from cigarettes. Psychopharmacology 92:118–121
Yang C-Y, Wu, W-H Zbuzek VK (1992) Antinociceptive effect of chronic nicotine and nociceptive effect of its withdrawal measured by hot-plate and tail-flick in rats. Psychopharmacology 106:417–420
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Pauli, P., Rau, H., Zhuang, P. et al. Effects of smoking on thermal pain threshold in deprived and minimally-deprived habitual smokers. Psychopharmacology 111, 472–476 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02253538
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02253538