Nicotine Tob Res. 2021 Jun 4:ntab120. doi: 10.1093/ntr/ntab120. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Menthol has been shown to target similar brain regions and neural receptors as nicotine, yet the association between menthol cigarette use and cognitive performance remains unknown.
METHODS: This study examined differences in cognitive task performance between menthol (MS) and non-menthol (NMS) cigarette smokers after acute cigarette consumption. Sixty White and Black/African American, non-abstinent, MS (n=30) and NMS (n=30) were assessed pre- and post-smoking their preferred cigarette on four computerized tasks: Continuous Performance Task (CPT; alerting attention), N-Back Task (working memory), Finger Tapping Task (motor control), and Apple Picker Task (reinforcement enhancement). Self-reported nicotine dependence and objective smoking topography measures were also compared between groups.
RESULTS: Initial unadjusted analyses showed a significant effect of cigarette type x time on CPT speed (p=.042), where MS improved while NMS group worsened in CPT speed after smoking. After controlling for baseline cigarette craving and cigarette nicotine levels, the effect of cigarette type x time for all cognitive outcomes was statistically non-significant (ps>.05). However, there remained a significant effect of cigarette type, where MS vs. NMS had poorer CPT (p=.046) and N-Back Task accuracy (p=.006) but faster N-Back speed (p=.039). There were no statistically significant differences between groups on reinforcement enhancement, nicotine dependence, or smoking behavior outcomes (ps>.05).
CONCLUSIONS: Contrary to our hypotheses, results did not find a significant effect of cigarette type on the change in cognitive performance after acute smoking in non-abstinent smokers. Further studies are needed to clarify the specific pharmacological effects of nicotine and menthol on cognitive functioning.
PMID:34086950 | DOI:10.1093/ntr/ntab120
