Abstract
Recent research suggests a role for the appetite hormone leptin in cigarette smoking. This study examined patterns of change in leptin in response to stress and associations with craving during the initial phase of a quit attempt. Thirty-six smokers (average age. ±. SEM, 33.4. ±. 2.4) interested in smoking cessation set a quit day and were required to be abstinent for 24. h. After, they completed a laboratory session including public speaking and cognitive challenges, and attended 4 weekly post-cessation assessments. Blood samples and self-report measures were collected throughout the laboratory session. The results indicated that leptin levels significantly increased following exposure to acute stress. We also found positive correlations between leptin and craving for cigarettes. No differences were observed in leptin levels between smokers who maintained abstinence for 4 weeks and those who relapsed during this period. These findings suggest that leptin levels may change in response to stress and that leptin could be a useful marker of craving for smoking.
Original language | English (US) |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 232-240 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Psychoneuroendocrinology |
Volume | 47 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Sep 2014 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:Research was supported in part by National Institute of Health grants R01DA016351 and R01DA013435 awarded to Dr. Mustafa al’Absi.
Keywords
- Craving
- Leptin
- Relapse
- Stress
- Tobacco