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Recent research suggests a role for the appetite hormone leptin in cigarette smoking. This study examined patterns of change in leptin in response to stress and associations with craving during the initial phase of a quit attempt. Thirty-six smokers (average age ± SEM, 33.4 ± 2.4) interested in smoking cessation set a quit day and were required to be abstinent for 24 h. After, they completed a laboratory session including public speaking and cognitive challenges, and attended 4 weekly post-cessation assessments. Blood samples and self-report measures were collected throughout the laboratory session. The results indicated that leptin levels significantly increased following exposure to acute stress. We also found positive correlations between leptin and craving for cigarettes. No differences were observed in leptin levels between smokers who maintained abstinence for 4 weeks and those who relapsed during this period. These findings suggest that leptin levels may change in response to stress and that leptin could be a useful marker of craving for smoking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The adipocyte hormone leptin regulates satiety and energy expenditure. Recent evidence suggests that leptin is associated with increased craving for alcohol and with shorter length of abstinence during alcohol treatment. This study examined leptin''s associations with craving for cigarettes and smoking relapse among smokers interested in cessation. Participants (32 smokers; 14 women) attended a laboratory session 24h following their designated quit day where circulating leptin levels and craving for smoking were assessed. Other measures of withdrawal symptoms, affect, physical symptoms, as well as neuroendocrine and cardiovascular measures were collected before and after performing two stress tasks (public speaking and cognitive tasks). High circulating leptin levels were associated with increased craving, withdrawal symptoms, negative affect, physical symptoms, and reduced positive affect. Circulating leptin levels were not related to cardiovascular and neuroendocrine measures, responses to acute stressors, or to smoking relapse. These results indicate that circulating leptin is a promising biological marker of craving for smoking and warrant further investigation of the links between appetite regulation and nicotine dependence. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]