Brain Imaging in Tobacco Smokers During a Quit Attempt
Status:
Recruiting
Trial end date:
2022-12-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
The proposed study will help fill gaps in existing research by determining if
nicotine-dependent cigarette smokers show changes in α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor
(nAChR) availability when compared to matched historical controls using positron emission
tomography (PET) imaging and the radioactive ligand [18F]-ASEM
(3-(1,4-diazabicyclo[3.2.2]nonan-4-yl)-6 [18F]fluorodibenzo[b,d]thiophene 5,5-dioxide), an α7
nAChR antagonist. The study will also explore whether α7 nAChR availability influences
clinically relevant measures of tobacco abstinence (e.g., withdrawal and craving, cognitive
impairment), self-reported cigarettes per day, and time to relapse during an 8-day quit
attempt during which smokers can receive escalating payments contingent upon providing
objective evidence (breath CO and urinary cotinine) of smoking abstinence.