Association Between Smoking, Brain Activity, Genes, and ADHD

January 12, 2017 updated by: Jean Gehricke, University of California, Irvine

Smoking, Neurocircuitry and Genes in Adult ADHD

The study investigated the underlying mechanisms of smoking in young adults by examining the associations between smoking, brain activity, dopamine genes, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

The study investigated the underlying mechanisms of smoking in young adults by examining the associations between smoking, brain activity, dopamine genes, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Four groups of young adults were recruited: (1) smokers with ADHD; (2) nonsmokers with ADHD; (3) normative control smokers; and (4) normative control nonsmokers. Smoking was assessed via questionnaires and salivary cotinine levels. Brain activity was examined via functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI). Each nonsmoker underwent an fMRI scan during an experimental task consisting of mathematical problems. Smokers underwent two fMRI scans during similar experimental tasks under the following two conditions: (1) after smoking a cigarette and (2) after overnight abstinence. The association between the DRD4-7 repeat allele and smoking was explored.

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Actual)

89

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • California
      • Santa Ana, California, United States, 92705
        • 2500 Red Hill Avenue

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 45 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Commuity sample

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Smokers with ADHD

    • Cigarette smoking for the last year
    • ADHD diagnosis

  2. Nonsmokers with ADHD

    • No history of regularly smoking cigarettes
    • ADHD diagnosis

  3. Normative control smokers

    • Cigarette smoking for the last year
    • No history and diagnosis of ADHD

  4. Normative control nonsmokers

    • No history of regularly smoking cigarettes
    • No history and diagnosis of ADHD

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Children under the age of 18
  • Adults above the age of 45
  • Pregnancy or planning to become pregnant
  • Any major medical illness
  • Any mental disorders that require medication (except stimulant medication)
  • Any contraindications to fMRI scanning
  • Not speaking English

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Intervention / Treatment
Smokers with ADHD
Smokers with ADHD participated in one overnight abstinence condition (withdrawal) and one smoking condition (smoking the first cigarette of the morning).
Behavioral: Cigarette smoking
Participants had an fMRI scan during an experimental task consisting of mathematical problems after smoking a cigarette.
Behavioral: Abstinence
Participants had an fMRI scan during an experimental task consisting of mathematical problems after smoking abstinence.
Nonsmokers with ADHD
Nonsmokers with ADHD participated in one condition.
Behavioral: Abstinence
Participants had an fMRI scan during an experimental task consisting of mathematical problems after smoking abstinence.
Control smokers
Control smokers participated in one overnight abstinence condition (withdrawal) and one smoking condition (smoking the first cigarette of the morning).
Behavioral: Cigarette smoking
Participants had an fMRI scan during an experimental task consisting of mathematical problems after smoking a cigarette.
Behavioral: Abstinence
Participants had an fMRI scan during an experimental task consisting of mathematical problems after smoking abstinence.
Control nonsmokers
Control nonsmokers participated in one condition.
Behavioral: Abstinence
Participants had an fMRI scan during an experimental task consisting of mathematical problems after smoking abstinence.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Brain Activity
Time Frame: One MRI session for nonsmokers and two MRI sessions for smokers
BOLD z-score of smokers with ADHD after abstinence/smoking a cigarette, control smokers after abstinence/smoking a cigarette, nonsmokers with ADHD, and control nonsmokers. All participants performed a mathematical task in the MRI scanner. Higher BOLD z-scores indicate greater brain activation.
One MRI session for nonsmokers and two MRI sessions for smokers

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
DRD4 Genotype
Time Frame: one time blood draw
one time blood draw
Salivary Cotinine
Time Frame: Once per week for 4 weeks
Average level of salivary cotinine over all time points (microgram/milliliter)
Once per week for 4 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

University of California, Irvine

Collaborators

National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Jean-G. Gehricke, Ph.D., M.A., University of California, Irvine

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

July 1, 2009

Primary Completion (Actual)

January 1, 2016

Study Completion (Actual)

June 1, 2016

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

June 4, 2009

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 5, 2009

First Posted (Estimate)

June 8, 2009

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

January 13, 2017

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 12, 2017

Last Verified

November 1, 2016

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

  • HS 2009-6740
  • K01DA025131 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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