Cue-Exposure Response Evaluation: Brain Reactivity to ONPs
University of Southern California
Summary
Oral nicotine pouches (ONPs) are non-combustible nicotine products that may reduce cigarette craving and smoking cue-induced brain activity, supporting their potential as harm-reduction tools for adults who smoke cigarettes. This within-subject, repeated-measures study will evaluate the acute effects of a single 6 mg oral nicotine pouch on subjective craving and prefrontal neural responses to smoking-related cues using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Participants will complete assessments before and after nicotine pouch administration following overnight nicotine abstinence to characterize changes in craving and neural cue reactivity.
Description
This study will evaluate the acute effects of oral nicotine pouch (ONP) use on subjective cigarette craving and prefrontal neural responses to smoking-related cues among adult cigarette smokers. Although oral nicotine pouches do not involve combustion or inhalation, their effects on craving relief and neural cue reactivity following nicotine abstinence remain poorly understood. Characterizing these acute responses may improve understanding of the potential role of oral nicotine pouches as lower-risk nicotine products. This is a single-arm, within-subject, repeated-measures study consisting of…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 21–55 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria: * Age 21 years - 55 years * Self-reported use of cigarettes within the past 30 days * Biochemical confirmation of cigarette use: o Carbon monoxide (CO) breath sample ≥10 ppm * Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) score ≥5, indicating moderate to high nicotine dependence * Fluent in English * Willing to try an oral nicotine pouch * Willing to abstain from nicotine for at least 12 hours prior to each experimental session Exclusion Criteria: * Age younger than 21 years or older than 55 years * Biochemical evidence inconsistent with recent cigarette use: o CO…
Interventions
- OtherOral Nicotine Pouch
Participants will self-administer one commercially available 6 mg oral nicotine pouch following overnight nicotine abstinence. The pouch will be used for approximately 25 minutes before participants complete the post-pouch cue reactivity assessment.
- BehavioralSmoking Cue Reactivity Task
Participants will complete a standardized smoking cue reactivity task before and after oral nicotine pouch administration. During each task, participants will view smoking-related and neutral images, complete guided imagination trials while holding either a cigarette or a neutral object, and undergo simultaneous functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to measure prefrontal brain activity.
Location
- University of Southern California - 3641 Watt Way (HNB B22)Los Angeles, California