Understanding Brain Activity Before a Smoking Lapse
Linking brain network dynamics to imminent smoking lapse risk and behavior
This project looks at brain activity in adults who smoke to understand why they might return to smoking after trying to quit.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Pennsylvania State University, the NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (University Park, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11125910 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Many people trying to quit smoking find it hard to stay smoke-free, often returning to cigarettes after a short period. This project uses special brain scans called fMRI to look at brain activity in adults who smoke, specifically focusing on the moments right before they might have a cigarette after trying to quit. Participants will abstain from smoking for 12 hours and then undergo brain imaging while completing tasks that model the challenge of resisting smoking. The goal is to see how brain patterns change and how these changes relate to feelings and actual smoking behavior afterward.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults aged 21 or older who currently smoke and are willing to abstain from cigarettes for 12 hours for the purpose of the study.
Not a fit: Patients who do not smoke or are not interested in understanding the brain mechanisms of smoking lapse may not directly benefit from participating in this specific research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new ways to prevent smoking relapses by identifying critical brain signals that predict when a lapse is about to occur.
How similar studies have performed: While fMRI has been used to study addiction, this project uses a novel fMRI approach adapted from a well-validated behavioral task to specifically capture the immediate moments before a smoking lapse.
Where this research is happening
University Park, United States
- Pennsylvania State University, the — University Park, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wilson, Stephen Jeffrey — Pennsylvania State University, the
- Study coordinator: Wilson, Stephen Jeffrey
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.