Item Details

title

Effects of Adolescent E-Cigarette Use on Attention and Associated Grey Matter Structure

author

Amirault, Raymond

abstract

Background - E-cigarettes have been the number one nicotine device used by adolescents over the past 8 years. This study seeks to examine if the impacts of e-cigarette use are similar to that of traditional cigarette use during this time period. Adolescent use of traditional cigarettes is associated with both attentional impairment and grey matter reductions of the frontal lobe.Methods – 14 high school aged students participated in the study, comprised of 6 self-reported e-cigarette users and 8 non-users. All participants completed an in-person visit where e-cigarette use history was established and cognitive tasks were completed; specific to this study were measures of sustained attention. 6 participants, 2 e-cigarette users and 4 non-users, completed a second visit where magnetic resonance imaging scans were completed; specific to this study were measures of cortical thickness. Results – E-cigarette use was associated with significantly reduced median response latency, with observable trends in reduced sensitivity to the target, and increased probability of incorrect response. Trends of reduced grey matter thickness in the anterior cingulate cortex, rostral middle frontal gyrus, and superior frontal gyrus, were observed in the e-cigarette user group. Conclusions – E-cigarette use is associated with impaired measures of sustained attention, as well lower measures of cortical thickness in regions associated with attentional processes. Due to small sample size conclusive evidence was not found of either trend, yet this study revealed the need for greater examination of the impact of e-cigarettes on attention and related brain structures.

subject

Adolescent

Attention

Development

E-cigarette

Grey Matter

contributor

Donny, Eric C (committee chair)

Laurienti, Paul J (committee member)

Donny, Eric C (committee member)

O'Hearn, Kirsten M (committee member)

date

2022-05-24T08:35:53Z (accessioned)

2022-05-24T08:35:53Z (available)

2022 (issued)

degree

Neuroscience (discipline)

identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/10339/100725 (uri)

language

en (iso)

publisher

Wake Forest University

type

Thesis