Changes in Executive Function Following Short-Term Tobacco Cessation Therapy in College Students

Objective: Evidence has been accumulating regarding the role of executive deficits in nicotine addiction; however, little is known as to whether executive abilities change as a function of treatment for nicotine dependence. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether executive function improves following short-term tobacco cessation therapy. Methods: College students (N=17) expressing an interest in tobacco cessation therapy involving Motivational Interviewing Therapy with or without the nicotine patch were administered the self-report Frontal Systems Behavioral Scale (FrSBe), the performance-based Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS) and the Fagerstrom Test of Nicotine Dependence (FTND) prior to treatment and approximately 1.5 months later. A group of non-smoking college students (N=19) was also administered the same measures of executive function across the same time period. Results: Prior to treatment smokers had significantly higher FrSBe Apathy subscale scores compared to nonsmokers. Acute tobacco cessation therapy significantly decreased nicotine dependence as measured by the FTDN. After controlling for pre-treatment scores, a significant difference emerged between tobacco cessation participants and non-smoking controls on post-test FrSBe Disinhibition scores. Post hoc analyses revealed a significant improvement in FrSBe Disinhibition scores among tobacco cessation participants, but no change among nonsmokers. Conclusion: While caution is warranted due to the small sample size of this study, these results suggest selfreport measures of executive function maybe more sensitive to executive deficits among smokers and change following short-term tobacco cessation therapy, particularly measures indicative of an improved ability to inhibit impulses and behavior. These results also highlight the multidimensional nature of executive function.