Phase IIb Trial of an α7 Nicotinic Receptor Partial Agonist With and Without Nicotine Patch for Withdrawal-Associated Cognitive Deficits and Tobacco Abstinence

What Was Tested

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

To do so, the effect of the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor partial agonist, encenicline, on cognition and abstinence was evaluated when given as monotherapy and when combined with transdermal nicotine patch (nicotine replacement therapy [NRT]).

Who Took Part

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

In the first 6 weeks of the 12-week encenicline administration, participants were also randomized to 6 weeks of NRT patch or placebo patch.

How the Study Was Run

The researchers set it up as a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study.

Random assignment meant chance, not the researchers, decided who got Therapeutic nicotine (patch, non-peptide) and who got the comparison, which limits bias.

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

Some participants received a placebo instead of Therapeutic nicotine (patch, non-peptide), giving a reference point.

Primary outcomes were cognition during abstinence and 7-day point-prevalence abstinence at week 12.

What Was Measured

PubMed files the paper under topics including Cognitive Dysfunction, Nicotine, Nicotinic Agonists, Substance Withdrawal Syndrome, Tobacco Use Cessation, Tobacco Use Cessation Devices and alpha7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor.

What This Means in Plain Language

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

The abstract goes on to report its results in about 5 sentences; this page does not restate them, so read the paper for the findings and their limits.

The publication is from 2018 (Journal of clinical psychopharmacology), a journal based in United States.

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