Effects of acute abstinence and nicotine administration on taste perception in cigarette smokers.

What Was Tested

Researchers studied Therapeutic nicotine (patch, non-peptide) in this randomized controlled trial publication.

This was in order to investigate mechanisms by which cigarette smoking and smoking cessation may modulate dietary behaviour.

Why It Was Studied

The researchers investigated the effects of short-term abstinence from smoking and acute nicotine administration on taste perception in smokers.

The researchers assessed sensitivity for salt and sucrose solutions and the self-reported intensity and pleasantness of these tastes, using a previously validated model of taste perception.

Who Took Part

The age groups tagged for this paper are young adults, adults and middle-aged adults, both men and women.

Participants were randomised to either abstain for smoking for 12 h or smoke as usual on the morning of testing.

How the Study Was Run

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

Because people in this Therapeutic nicotine (patch, non-peptide) study were split into groups at random, differences between the groups are less likely to reflect who happened to join each one.

As a double-blind Therapeutic nicotine (patch, non-peptide) study, the assignments were hidden from both participants and investigators until the end.

What Was Measured

The researchers assessed sensitivity for salt and sucrose solutions and the self-reported intensity and pleasantness of these tastes, using a previously validated model of taste perception.

At the testing session, participants completed subjective ratings of mood and ratings of intensity and pleasantness of salt and sucrose solutions, followed by measurement of the threshold at which these solutions could be detected on the tongue.

The subject headings attached to it are Affect, Nicotine, Smoking, Smoking Cessation, Sodium Chloride, Dietary, Sucrose and Taste Perception.

What This Means in Plain Language

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

The publication is from 2010 (Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England)), a journal based in United States.

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