Clemson University, Department of Psychology, 418 Brackett Hall, Clemson, SC 29634, USA.
J Gen Psychol. 2010 Oct-Dec;137(4):331-42. doi: 10.1080/00221309.2010.499395.
Previous studies have demonstrated reductions in episodic memory during nicotine withdrawal. However, these studies have been unable to dissociate memory reductions from losses in attention associated with tobacco abstinence. In the present study, the authors sought to determine whether episodic memory reduction is a primary effect of nicotine withdrawal during tobacco abstinence. Heavy smokers were tested when smoking normally and following 24 hrs of abstinence. Participants were tested with a recognition memory task in which items were studied under full and divided attention conditions. Forward digit span and backward digit span were also included as control measures. Withdrawal was associated with a reduction in memory performance that was independent of attention at encoding. The authors conclude that impairment of episodic memory is a primary effect of nicotine withdrawal during tobacco abstinence. Further research is required to determine if this is associated with continued use of tobacco and cessation failures.
先前的研究表明，尼古丁戒断期间会出现情节记忆减退。然而，这些研究无法将记忆减退与与烟草戒断相关的注意力丧失区分开来。在本研究中，作者试图确定情节记忆减退是否是烟草戒断期间尼古丁戒断的主要影响。重度吸烟者在正常吸烟和 24 小时戒断后接受测试。参与者接受了识别记忆任务的测试，在该任务中，项目在全注意和分散注意条件下进行学习。前向数字跨度和后向数字跨度也被用作控制措施。戒断与记忆表现的下降有关，而与编码时的注意力无关。作者得出结论，情节记忆的损害是烟草戒断期间尼古丁戒断的主要影响。需要进一步研究以确定这是否与继续使用烟草和戒烟失败有关。
