PILOT STUDY TO DETERMINE TIQ AND B- CARBOLINE LEVELS IN SMOKERS VS NONSMOKERS

这个子项目是许多研究子项目中的一个 由NIH/NCRR资助的中心赠款提供的资源。子项目和 研究者（PI）可能从另一个NIH来源获得了主要资金， 因此可以在其他CRISP条目中表示。所列机构为 研究中心，而研究中心不一定是研究者所在的机构。 本研究的目的是检查吸烟者和非吸烟者中存在的尼古丁以外的药物与总体药物依赖之间的可能关系。 尼古丁依赖是一个复杂的生物和行为问题，可能非常难以克服。 对药物依赖性的全面认识的提高，加上尼古丁作为一种具有依赖性潜力的药物的识别，有助于开发尼古丁依赖的药物和行为治疗。 研究人员开始发现，香烟烟雾中可能有尼古丁以外的化学成分，这些成分有助于烟草的成瘾潜力。 已经发现两类化合物，四氢异喹啉（TIQ）和β-咔啉，涉及可能发展为药物依赖的脑机制。 最重要的是，有一些化合物可能有助于调节快乐的感觉，或“奖励途径”。 这两种化合物（TIQ和b-咔啉）可能是尼古丁寻求行为和依赖的原因。 本研究将在统计学上评价TIQ和b-咔啉的个体间和个体内变异性，以及非吸烟者、轻度吸烟者和重度吸烟者的吸烟史/尼古丁依赖评分。 本研究将招募60名健康的年轻志愿者（20名不吸烟者，20名轻度吸烟者和20名重度吸烟者）。 将向受试者提供有关研究的信息，并提供知情同意书。 入组后，受试者将提供用于测量TIQ基线水平和b-咔啉水平的血样。 吸烟史和尼古丁依赖评分的评估将用于将吸烟依赖与这些化合物的水平相关联。 受试者将返回GCRC进行第二次访视，并重复进行血液和尿液检查，以确保准确性。 如果这项研究表明确实存在这种关系，将设计更详细的干预措施，以评估这些化合物作为尼古丁依赖的可能生物标志物的适用性。

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. The purpose of this study is to examine a possible relationship between agents, other than nicotine present in cigarettes and overall drug dependence in smokers and non-smokers. Nicotine dependence is a complex biological and behavioral problem that can be extremely difficult to overcome. An improved overall understanding of drug dependence, coupled with the identification of nicotine as a drug with dependence potential, has been instrumental in the development of medications and behavioral treatments for nicotine dependence. Researchers are beginning to find out that there may be chemical ingredients other than nicotine in cigarette smoke that contribute to tobacco's addicting potential. Two classes of compounds, tetrahydroisoquinolines (TIQ) and beta-carbolines, have been found to be involved brain mechanisms that may advance to drug dependence. Of primary importance, there are compounds may help regulate feelings of pleasure, or "reward pathways". Both of these compounds (TIQ and b-carboline) might be responsible in nicotine seeking behavior and dependence. This study will evaluate statistically the inter- and intra-individual variability in the TIQ and b-carbolines, as well as the smoking history/nicotine dependence scores of nonsmokers, light smokers, and heavy smokers. This study will recruit sixty healthy young volunteers (20 nonsmokers, 20 light smokers, and 20 heavy smokers). Subjects will be given information regarding the study and will provide informed consent. Upon enrollment, subjects will supply blood samples for measurement of baseline levels of TIQ and b-carboline levels. An evaluation of smoking history and nicotine dependence score will be used to correlate smoking dependence with the level of these compounds. Subjects will return to the GCRC for a second visit with blood and urine tests repeated to ensure accuracy. If this research shows that a relationship does exist, more detailed interventions will be designed that assess the suitablilty of these compounds as possible biomarkers of nicotine dependence.