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Neurobehavioral Mechanisms Linking Childhood Adversity to Increased Risk for Smoking

Duke University · with National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) · NCT05665465

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Opens the official ClinicalTrials.gov record, with the study team’s contacts. Bored Studies doesn’t enroll anyone.

Key facts

Compensation
Not posted. Ask the study team before screening.
Who can join
Ages 18–21 · All sexes
Healthy volunteers
Accepted
Study type
Interventional · Early Phase 1
Target enrollment
150
US sites recruiting
1
Study start
January 19, 2024
Record last updated
April 2, 2026

Status re-checked against ClinicalTrials.gov within the last 12 hours.

What the study is about

The purpose of this study is to evaluate how certain childhood experiences influences brain function and responses to nicotine exposure in a group of nonsmoking young adults. The investigators assess responses to nicotine exposure by giving participants a small amount of nicotine or placebo, and then asking them to answer questionnaires. The investigational drugs used in this study are a nicotine nasal spray (i.e., Nicotrol) and/or a nasal spray placebo (made of common kitchen ingredients, including a very tiny amount of pepper extract also called capsaicin). The investigators assess brain function through function magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), which is a noninvasive procedure that uses a magnetic field to take pictures of your brain while you are performing certain tasks. This study will help us to learn more about why some childhood experiences (adverse childhood experiences, or ACEs) contribute to increased risk for smoking and other substance use.

Being studied: Nicotine nasal spray 0.5 mg; Placebo

Conditions: Adverse Childhood Experiences; Nicotine Dependence, Cigarettes

Eligibility criteria

Copied from the official record. The study team makes the final decision at screening.

Show full criteria

Inclusion Criteria

  • generally healthy
  • 18-21 years of age
  • never smoked a full cigarette or used an equivalent amount of other nicotine or tobacco products
  • no tobacco exposure in the past 3 years
  • expired air CO level ≤ 3 ppm
  • corroboration of non-smoking status from 2 collateral reporters
  • breath alcohol value = 0.000

Exclusion Criteria

  • use of illegal drugs as measured by urine drug screen
  • reported history of illicit drug use > 10 times lifetime
  • lifetime history of alcohol use disorder
  • binge drinking > 5 times per month over the past 3 months
  • history of serious mental illness including bipolar or psychotic disorders
  • significant medical or unstable psychiatric disorders
  • systolic blood pressure ≥ 140 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure ≥ 90 mmHg
  • heart rate ≥ 100 bpm
  • use of psychoactive medications (e.g., antidepressants, opioid analgesics, etc.) in the past 6 months
  • presence of conditions that would make fMRI unsafe (e.g., pacemaker)
  • brain abnormality (including but not limited to stroke, brain tumor, and seizure disorder)
  • history of serious traumatic brain injury
  • claustrophobia
  • lack of firm resolve to refrain from cigarette, e-cigarette or other tobacco use in the coming year
  • pregnant, trying to become pregnant, or breastfeeding
  • inability to understand written and/or spoken English language
  • inability to attend all experimental sessions

Recruiting US locations

  • Duke University Medical Center

    Durham, NC 27710

    Site contact: Maggie Sweitzer, PhD · 919-668-0094 · maggie.sweitzer@duke.edu

Study contacts (from the official record)

  • Maggie Sweitzer, PhD · 919-668-0094 · maggie.sweitzer@duke.edu
All smoking & vaping studies in North Carolina →
Neurobehavioral Mechanisms Linking Childhood Adversity to… (NCT05665465) | Bored Studies