SynthesisPsychopharmacology2019
Tobacco smoking and dopaminergic function in humans: a meta-analysis of molecular imaging studies.
Synthesis in Psychopharmacology, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 20 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
20 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Smoking and risk of restless leg syndrome: a systematic review, meta-analysis, and Mendelian randomisation.Journal of global health · 2026Pooled it
- Dopamine in major depressive disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis of in vivo imaging studies.Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) · 2023Pooled it
- Structural and functional brain recovery in individuals with substance use disorders during abstinence: A review of longitudinal neuroimaging studies.Drug and alcohol dependence · 2022Pooled it
- Effort and substance use: differentiating tobacco use through reinforcement learning of effort based decision making.Journal of computational neuroscience · 2026Article
- Bidirectional genetic and phenotypic links between smoking and striatal iron content involving dopaminergic and inflammatory pathways.Addiction (Abingdon, England) · 2026Article
- Effort and Substance Use: Differentiating Tobacco Use Through Reinforcement Learning of Effort Based Decision Making.Research square · 2026Article
- Cholinergic tone abnormalities and relationships with smoking severity in human cigarette smokers: exploratory positron emission tomography study using [Molecular psychiatry · 2025Article
- Excessive body weight and its contributing factors in visually impaired patients in northwest Ethiopia, 2024.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2025Article
- Striatal dopamine synthesis and cognitive flexibility differ between hormonal contraceptive users and nonusers.Cerebral cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991) · 2023Article
- Dopamine dysfunction in depression: application of texture analysis to dopamine transporter single-photon emission computed tomography imaging.Translational psychiatry · 2022Article
- Association between cigarette smoking and Parkinson's disease: a neuroimaging study.Therapeutic advances in neurological disorders · 2022Article
- Dopamine Transporter Imaging, Current Status of a Potential Biomarker: A Comprehensive Review.International journal of molecular sciences · 2021Review
- Genetic overlap and causal associations between smoking behaviours and mental health.Scientific reports · 2021Article
- Tobacco and Nervous System Development and Function-New Findings 2015-2020.Brain sciences · 2021Review
- Effort-based decision making varies by smoking status.Psychopharmacology · 2020Article
- Ultra-sensitive Nanoprobe Modified with Tumor Cell Membrane for UCL/MRI/PET Multimodality Precise Imaging of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.Nano-micro letters · 2020Article
- Association of Cigarette Smoking with Sleep Disturbance and Neurotransmitters in Cerebrospinal Fluid.Nature and science of sleep · 2020Article
- The relationship between childhood trauma, dopamine release and dexamphetamine-induced positive psychotic symptoms: a [Translational psychiatry · 2019Article
- The effect of a genetic variant at the schizophrenia associated AS3MT/BORCS7 locus on striatal dopamine function: A PET imaging study.Psychiatry research. Neuroimaging · 2019Article
- Molecular Imaging of the Dopamine Transporter.Cells · 2019Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
Abstract
rationaleAbout 1.1 billion people smoke tobacco globally and tobacco-related health care costs 1.8% of GDP in many countries. The majority of people are unable to quit smoking despite pharmacological intervention, highlighting the need to understand the pathophysiology associated with tobacco smoking to aid the development of new therapeutics. The reinforcing effects of tobacco smoking are thought to be mediated by the dopamine system. However, the nature of dopamine dysfunction seen in smokers is unclear.
objectiveTo determine the nature and robustness of the evidence for dopaminergic alterations in smokers.
methodsThe entire MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PsycINFO databases were searched for studies from inception date to November 18, 2018. In vivo human molecular imaging studies of dopamine measures (dopamine synthesis or release capacity, transporter levels, receptor levels) in tobacco smokers were selected. Demographic, clinical, and imaging measures were extracted from each study and meta-analyses, and sensitivity analyses were conducted.
resultsFourteen studies met inclusion criteria comprising a total sample of 219 tobacco smokers and 297 controls. The meta-analysis showed a significant reduction in dopamine transporter availability in the smokers relative to controls with an effect size of - 0.72 ([95% CI, - 1.38 to - 0.05], p = 0.03). However, there was no difference in D2/3 receptor availability in smokers relative to controls (d = -0.16 ([95% CI, - 0.42 to 0.1], p = 0.23). There were insufficient studies for meta-analysis of other measures. However, findings from the published studies indicated blunted dopamine release and lower D1 receptor availability, while findings for dopamine synthesis capacity were inconsistent.
conclusionOur data indicate that striatal dopamine transporter availability is lower but D2/3 receptors are unaltered in smokers relative to controls. We discuss the putative mechanisms underlying this and their implications.
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