C957T polymorphism of the dopamine D2 receptor gene modulates the effect of nicotine on working memory performance and cortical processing efficiency.

What Was Tested

The paper reports a study of Therapeutic nicotine (patch, non-peptide), published as a randomized controlled trial.

To determine whether a polymorphism of the DRD2 gene, C957T, that alters DRD2 binding availability in humans modifies the effects of nicotine on verbal working memory performance and on processing efficiency of brain regions that support verbal working memory.

Why It Was Studied

In both animals and humans, nicotine produces behavioral effects that vary across individuals.

Who Took Part

According to the abstract, 36 subjects were involved.

PubMed indexes the participants as adults, both men and women.

Brain function was assessed using functional magnetic resonance imaging while the subjects performed a verbal working memory task.

How the Study Was Run

In design terms this was a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study.

The subjects were allocated by chance, so the Therapeutic nicotine (patch, non-peptide) group and the comparison group should start out alike.

Neither the subjects nor the staff measuring them knew who was on Therapeutic nicotine (patch, non-peptide), so expectations could not easily colour the readings.

The comparison arm used a placebo, so changes seen with Therapeutic nicotine (patch, non-peptide) could be set against what happens without it.

What Was Measured

The subject headings attached to it are Brain, Genotype, Memory, Nicotine, Nicotinic Agonists, Polymorphism, Genetic and Receptors, Dopamine D2.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study of Therapeutic nicotine (patch, non-peptide) in 36 subjects.

With fewer than 40 people, it is a small study, so it is better read as an early signal for further research than as a settled answer.

The abstract goes on to report its results in about 2 sentences; this page does not restate them, so read the paper for the findings and their limits.

The publication is from 2006 (Psychopharmacology), a journal based in Germany.

More context: the Therapeutic nicotine (patch, non-peptide) compound page, all human trials.