title: The effects of acute exercise on attentional bias towards smoking-related stimuli during temporary abstinence from smoking. Urges to smoke during the first month of abstinence: relationship to relapse and predictors Acute exercise modulates cigarette cravings and brain activation in response to smoking-related images: an fMRI study The effects of acute exercise on subsequent cigarette smoking The effects of exercise on cigarette cravings and brain activation in response to smoking-related images Walking reduces cue-elicited cigarette cravings and withdrawal symptoms, and delays ad libitum smoking. Acute effect of glucose tablets on desire to smoke Acute exercise effects on smoking withdrawal symptoms and desire to smoke are not related to expectation Effect of isometric exercise and body scanning on cigarette cravings and withdrawal symptoms. Exercise effects on withdrawal and mood among women attempting smoking cessation. Acute effects of aerobic exercise and Hatha yoga on craving to smoke. Does exercise have an acute effect on desire to smoke, mood and withdrawal symptoms in abstaining adolescent smokers? Acute effects of a short bout of moderate versus light intensity exercise versus inactivity on tobacco withdrawal symptoms in sedentary smokers Acute effect of isometric exercise on desire to smoke and tobacco withdrawal symptoms. Moderate intensity exercise as an adjunct to standard smoking cessation treatment for women: a pilot study. Pre-abstinence smoke intake and smoking motivation as predictors of severity of cigarette withdrawal symptoms Effect of a short bout of exercise on tobacco withdrawal symptoms and desire to smoke Signs and symptoms of tobacco withdrawal. The effect of exercise in reducing desire to smoke and cigarette withdrawal symptoms is not caused by distraction.
abstract: RATIONALE Attentional bias towards smoking-related cues is increased during abstinence and can predict relapse after quitting . Exercise has been found to reduce cigarette cravings and desire to smoke during temporary abstinence and attenuate increased cravings in response to smoking cues . OBJECTIVE To assess the acute effects of exercise on attentional bias to smoking-related cues during temporary abstinence from smoking . METHOD In a r and omized cross-over design , on separate days regular smokers ( n = 20 ) undertook 15 minutes of exercise ( moderate intensity stationary cycling ) or passive seating following 15 hours of nicotine abstinence .  Attentional bias was measured at baseline and post-treatment . The percentage of dwell time and direction of initial fixation was assessed during the passive viewing of a series of paired smoking and neutral images using an Eyelink II eye-tracking system .  Self-reported desire to smoke was recorded at baseline , mid- and post-treatment and post-eye-tracking task . RESULTS There was a significant condition x time interaction for desire to smoke , F((1,18 ) ) = 10.67 , P = 0.004 , eta(2 ) = 0.36 , with significantly lower desire to smoke at mid- and post-treatment following the exercise condition . The percentage of dwell time and direction of initial fixations towards smoking images were also reduced significantly following the exercise condition compared with the passive control . CONCLUSION Findings support previous research that acute exercise reduces desire to smoke . This is the first study to show that exercise appears to also influence the salience and attentional biases towards cigarettes The urges to smoke reported by 215 former smokers were measured 1 day , 7 days , 14 days and 30 days after they quit to examine : ( a ) the time course of smoking urges , ( b ) the relationship of urges to relapse , and ( c ) predictors of urges to smoke . Urges to smoke were strongest 1 day after quitting , and decreased at each subsequent measurement point . Urges were a powerful predictor of relapse . At each of the four assessment points , abstinent subjects who reported stronger urges to smoke were more likely to relapse by the next measurement point . Urges to smoke at a given day ( e.g. , day 1 ) were consistently the best predictors of the persistence of urges at the next assessment ( e.g. , day 7 ) . Greater negative emotion ( e.g. , anxiety , sadness , anger , and confusion ) and psychosocial stress also predicted stronger urges to smoke .  Nicotine gum significantly reduced urges during week 1 post-cessation . Clinical implication s of the findings are discussed Rationale Substances of misuse ( such as nicotine ) are associated with increases in activation within the mesocorticolimbic brain system , a system thought to mediate the rewarding effects of drugs of abuse . Pharmacological treatments have been design ed to reduce cigarette cravings during temporary abstinence . Exercise has been found to be an effective tool for controlling cigarette cravings . Objective The objective of this study is to assess the effect of exercise on regional brain activation in response to smoking-related images during temporary nicotine abstinence . Method In a r and omized crossover design , regular smokers ( n = 10 ) undertook an exercise ( 10 min moderate-intensity stationary cycling ) and control ( passive seating for same duration ) session , following 15 h of nicotine abstinence . Following treatments , participants entered a functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging ( fMRI ) scanner . Subjects viewed a r and om series of smoking and neutral images for 3 s , with an average inter-stimulus-interval ( ISI ) of 10 s. Self-reported cravings were assessed at baseline , mid- , and post-treatments . Results A significant interaction effect ( time by group ) was found , with self-reported cravings lower during and following exercise . During control scanning , significant activation was recorded in areas associated with reward ( cau date nucleus ) , motivation ( orbitofrontal cortex ) and visuo-spatial attention ( parietal lobe , parahippocampal , and fusiform gyrus ) . Post-exercise scanning showed hypo-activation in these areas with a concomitant shift of activation towards areas identified in the ‘ brain default mode ’ ( Broadmanns Area 10 ) . Conclusion The study confirms previous evidence that a single session of exercise can reduce cigarette cravings , and for the first time provides evidence of a shift in regional activation in response to smoking cues The present study was conducted to examine the effects of acute aerobic exercise on smoking behavior . On alternate days , 10 healthy young smokers were subjected to half an hour of sustained high exercise ( about 56 % of maximum work capacity ) or of low exercise ( about 28 % of maximum , simulating normal daytime activity ) . During the high-exercise condition , there were pronounced increases in physiological markers of physical activity such as mean work , heart rate , and lactic acid as well as elevations in circulating hormones ( norepinephrine , epinephrine , and immunoreactive beta-endorphin and cortisol ) known to be affected by vigorous exercise . Despite a trend toward decreased desire for cigarettes after the high exercise condition , there were no differences in plasma nicotine levels following the smoking of a usual-br and cigarette 35 min later . The sustained effects of the two exercise conditions were also similar : plasma cotinine levels 24 hr later ( reflecting nicotine intake over the entire exercise day ) revealed no significant differences between hight and low exercise Rationale Smokers show heightened activation toward smoking-related stimuli and experience increased cravings which can precipitate smoking cessation relapse . Exercise can be effective for modulating cigarette cravings and attenuating reactivity to smoking cues , but the mechanism by which these effects occur remains uncertain . Objective The objective of the study was to assess the effect of exercise on regional brain activation in response to smoking-related images during temporary nicotine abstinence . Methods In a r and omised crossover design , overnight abstinent smokers ( n = 20 ) underwent an exercise ( 10-min moderate-intensity stationary cycling ) and passive control ( seating for the same duration ) treatment , following 15 h of nicotine abstinence . After each treatment , participants underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging ( fMRI ) brain scanning while viewing a r and om series of blocked smoking or neutral images . Self-reported cravings were assessed at baseline , mid- , and post-treatments . Results There was a significant interaction effect ( treatment × time ) for desire to smoke , F ( 2,32 ) = 12.5 , p < 0.001 , with significantly lower scores following the exercise at all time points compared with the control treatment . After both exercise and rest , significant areas of activation were found in areas of the limbic lobe and in areas associated with visual attention in response to smoking-related stimuli . Smokers showed increased activation to smoking images in areas associated with primary and secondary visual processing following rest , but not following a session of exercise . Conclusion The study shows differing activation towards smoking images following exercise compared to a control treatment and may point to a neuro-cognitive process following exercise that mediates effects on cigarette cravings Stress and exposure to smoking cues influence smoking cravings and behavior .  Exercise appears to reduce cigarette cravings and withdrawal symptoms , but no study has investigated the effects of exercise on cue-elicited cravings and withdrawal symptoms , or ad libitum smoking behavior . In this study , 60 regular smokers , invited by public advertisements , were assessed at baseline following 2 hr of abstinence  , and r and omized to a 15-min brisk walk or passive condition . Both groups then completed three tasks ( Stroop color-word interference task , speech task , and h and ling a lit cigarette ) . Cravings were assessed with two single items , and withdrawal symptoms were assessed using the seven-item Mood and Physical Symptoms Scale . After the laboratory session , ad libitum smoking was determined from the subject 's cell phone text message . Exercise ( mean heart rate reserve = 24 % ) attenuated increases in strength of desire to smoke , tension , poor concentration , and stress , in response to a lit cigarette , but had minimal effects on increases in cravings and withdrawal symptoms in response to the stressors . Absolute levels of cravings and withdrawal symptoms were reduced during and following exercise . Exercisers engaged in ad libitum smoking a net 57 min ( CI = 31 - 83 ) later than those in the passive condition . A 15-min brisk walk not only reduced cigarette cravings and withdrawal symptoms but also could attenuate increases in cue-elicited cravings and withdrawal symptoms , and increase the time between cigarettes smoked Abstract Rationale : Previous research suggests that glucose may reduce desire to smoke during periods of abstinence but a definitive test is needed . Objective : The present study aim ed to determine whether a single administration of oral glucose would reduce desire to smoke in abstaining smokers . Methods : Thirty-eight smokers attended the laboratory in the afternoon having not smoked since the previous evening . They rated their desire to smoke immediately before and at 5-min intervals for 20 min after chewing four 3-g glucose tablets ( experimental group ) or four matched placebo tablets ( control group ) . Results : Ratings of desire to smoke decreased to a greater extent in the experimental than the control group . The effect was apparent after 10 min . There was no difference between the groups in terms of feeling ” sick ” or ” satisfied ” . Conclusion : A single dose of glucose has a relatively rapid and detectable effect on desire to smoke and the effect is not mediated by feeling sick . Glucose tablets may be useful in helping to control desire to smoke during periods of abstinence Rationale Recent research has shown that 10 min of moderate intensity exercise reduce smoking withdrawal symptoms and desire to smoke in acutely abstinent smokers . The aim of the current study was to determine whether the reductions are related to participant expectation of these effects . Material s and methods Forty-five sedentary participants who had smoked ten or more cigarettes per day for at least 3 years reported their expectation of the effects of exercise on smoking withdrawal symptoms .  Approximately 1 month later , participants were r and omly assigned to one of three groups after 11–15 h of overnight smoking abstinence . Each group read either a positive , negative or neutral statement concerning exercise effects on smoking withdrawal symptoms . They rated their expectation again and then completed 10 min of moderate intensity exercise on a stationary bicycle ergometer . Using st and ardised scales , participants rated smoking withdrawal symptoms and desire to smoke at 10 , 5 and 0 min before exercise , then at 5 and 10 min during exercise and 15 and 20 min post-exercise . Results Expectation of exercise effects on withdrawal were manipulated in the predicted directions . No significant group main effects were found for any symptom . Significant reductions in symptoms and desire to smoke occurred during and after exercise regardless of participant expectation . Conclusions Ten minutes of moderate intensity exercise can lead to reductions in desire to smoke and smoking withdrawal symptoms , which are not due to the participant ’s expectation of exercise effects . These findings support the use of short periods of exercise as an aid to smoking cessation AIMS To examine the acute effects of a guided relaxation routine ( body scan ) and isometric exercise on  desire to smoke and tobacco withdrawal symptoms .  DESIGN Experimental comparison of three conditions . PARTICIPANTS Forty-eight individuals reporting smoking > or = 10 cigarettes daily . INTERVENTION R and om assignment to one of three interventions delivered via a 10-minute audio : isometric exercise ( IE , n = 14 ) , body scanning ( BS , n = 18 ) or a reading about natural history ( control group , n = 16 ) . Interventions were delivered twice on the same day : in the laboratory , then in their ' normal ' environment . MEASUREMENTS Desire to smoke ( primary outcome ) and withdrawal symptoms were rated at pre-intervention and up to 30 minutes post-intervention . FINDINGS Controlling for baseline scores , post-intervention desire to smoke and withdrawal symptoms were significantly lower for IE and BS groups , compared with the controls , in both environments . There were no significant differences for IE versus BS . For desire to smoke , controlling for baseline values , ratings in the laboratory were significantly lower for IE and BS versus the control up to 30 minutes post-intervention . In the normal environment , these ratings were significantly lower only up to 5 minutes post-intervention . CONCLUSIONS Brief IE and BS interventions are effective for reducing desire to smoke and withdrawal symptoms in temporarily abstaining smokers . These interventions were found to be more effective in the laboratory than in the smoker 's normal environment , but this may be an artefact of there not being a sufficient ' wash-out ' period between interventions . These techniques may be beneficial for managing desire to smoke and tobacco withdrawal This study investigated both acute and longer term ( " chronic " ) effects of vigorous exercise training on affect , nicotine withdrawal , and  cigarette craving  among women enrolled in a smoking cessation research study . All subjects participated in a 12-week cognitive behavioral smoking cessation program and were r and omly assigned to attend three sessions per week of either a vigorous exercise program or contact control . Measures of positive and negative affect , cigarette craving , and nicotine withdrawal were administered immediately before , and again immediately after the final exercise or contact session each week of the program . Study I enrolled 24 women who had been assigned to the exercise condition . Significant reductions in negative affect , nicotine withdrawal and cigarette craving were observed following exercise most weeks of the program . No significant changes in positive affect were observed . In Study II this protocol was repeated among 62 women ( 44 exercise , 18 contact control )  in two consecutive cohorts of the larger study . Significant reduction were observed in negative affect , nicotine withdrawal and cigarette craving during most weeks of the program among exercise subjects but not contact condition subjects . No chronic ( baseline to posttreatment ) changes in positive or negative affect , cigarette craving or withdrawal symptoms were observed in either study . Vigorous exercise appears to produce acute improvements in withdrawal symptoms , cigarette craving , and negative affect among sedentary women attempting to quit smoking INTRODUCTION Recent studies have examined the effects of physical activity on craving to smoke and smoking withdrawal .  The current study was design ed to compare and contrast the effects of 2 different forms of physical activity on general and cue-elicited craving to smoke . METHODS Following 1-hr nicotine abstinence , 76 daily smokers were r and omly assigned to engage in a 30-min bout of cardiovascular exercise ( CE ; brisk walk on a treadmill ) , Hatha yoga ( HY ) , or a nonactivity control condition . Participants completed measures of craving and mood , and a smoking cue reactivity assessment , before , immediately following , and approximately 20 min after the physical activity or control conditions . RESULTS Compared with the control condition , participants in each of the physical activity groups reported a decrease in craving to smoke , an increase in positive affect , and a decrease in negative affect . In addition , craving in response to smoking cues was specifically reduced among those who engaged in CE , whereas those who engaged in HY reported a general decrease in cravings . CONCLUSIONS This study provides further support for the use of exercise bouts for attenuating cigarette cravings during temporary nicotine abstinence . Results also suggest that CE can attenuate cravings in response to smoking cues . There are several areas for further research that may improve integration of exercise within smoking cessation treatment OBJECTIVE Previous studies have shown that exercise acutely reduces desire to smoke and withdrawal symptoms among adult smokers ; however , no study has examined these effects in younger smokers . This study investigated the impact of a short bout of moderate intensity exercise on desire to smoke , withdrawal symptoms and exercise-induced affect in temporarily abstinent adolescent smokers . METHODS Thirty-seven low-active male and female smokers aged 16 - 19 years , abstained from smoking overnight and were assigned to either ( i ) 10 min of moderate intensity cycle ergometry ( n=18 ) or ( ii ) a placebo control condition that involved very light intensity cycle ergometry ( n=19 ) . Measures of desire to smoke , the Mood and Physical Symptoms Scale ( MPSS ) and Subjective Exercise Experience Scale ( SEES ) were administered at baseline , 5 min during , 5 min after and 30 min after both conditions . RESULTS AND CONCLUSION A significant interaction effect for group by time was recorded for psychological distress scores , when the baseline value was covaried . Follow-up tests indicated that the exercise group reported significantly higher PD scores than the placebo control during exercise , but not at any other time point . No other significant effects were found for any other variables . Unlike research involving adult population s , a short bout of moderate intensity exercise did not alter desire to smoke among abstaining adolescent smokers and may negatively impact affective responses during exercise Rationale A previous study found that a 10-min bout of moderate intensity exercise reduced cigarette withdrawal symptoms and desire to smoke in sedentary smokers but the effect may have been due to participants focusing attention on physical activity rather than the activity itself . Objectives This study examined the effect of 5 min of moderate intensity exercise and 5 min of light intensity exercise on tobacco withdrawal symptoms  amongst sedentary smokers . Methods Eighty-four smokers attended a laboratory session having abstained from smoking for between 11 and 14 h. Participants were r and omly allocated to one of three conditions : ( i ) light intensity exercise [ n=28 ; 10–20 % of heart rate reserve ( HRR ) ] ; ( ii ) moderate intensity exercise ( n=28 ; 40–60 % HRR ) , ( iii ) a passive control condition ( n=28 ) . Both exercise conditions involved 5 min of stationary cycling and participants rated tobacco withdrawal symptoms and cravings immediately before exercise ( baseline ) , during exercise at 2.5 min , immediately following exercise , then after 5 and 10 min of rest . Control participants made the same ratings across an equivalent time period . Results For moderate intensity exercise compared to light intensity exercise and control there was a significant reduction in strength of desire to smoke , relative to baseline , both during exercise and up to 5 min post-exercise . Relative to baseline , there were also significant reductions in restlessness , stress , tension and poor concentration at 5 and 10 min post-exercise , for moderate intensity exercise compared to light intensity exercise and control . Conclusions Five minutes of moderate intensity exercise is associated with a short-term reduction in desire to smoke and tobacco withdrawal symptoms . Very brief bouts of exercise may therefore be useful as an aid to smoking cessation A brief bout of aerobic exercise ( e.g. stationary bicycle ) has been shown to result in an acute reduction in tobacco withdrawal symptoms and cravings in abstinent smokers . However , aerobic exercise is often not practical and it is of interest to examine whether non-aerobic exercise has a similar effect . We investigated whether isometric exercise ( involving muscular contractions against resistance without movement , e.g. placing the palms of the h and s together and pushing ) reduces desire to smoke and tobacco withdrawal symptoms .  Following overnight abstinence smokers were r and omized to 5-min of : isometric exercises ( n = 20 ) , body scanning ( focusing attention on sensations in different areas of the body , n = 20 , control ) , or sitting passively ( n = 20 , control ) . Desire to smoke and tobacco withdrawal symptoms ( ' irritable ' , ' depressed ' , ' stressed ' , ' tense ' , ' restless ' and ' poor concentration ' ) were rated at baseline , immediately post-intervention , and 5- , 10- , 15- and 20-min post-intervention . Isometric exercise produced a significantly greater reduction in desire to smoke versus passive control at immediate post-intervention and 5-min post-intervention , relative to baseline ( p < 0.05 ) . Most withdrawal symptoms were significantly moderated by exercise versus controls at some point between 5- to 20-min post-intervention , relative to baseline ( p < 0.05 ) . Brief isometric exercise has potential for offering immediate relief from a desire to smoke Previous r and omized controlled trials have not supported moderate intensity exercise as an efficacious adjunct to  smoking cessation treatments for women ; however , compliance with exercise programs in these studies has been poor . The purpose of this pilot study was to estimate the effects of moderate intensity exercise on smoking cessation outcomes under optimal conditions for exercise program compliance . Sixty previously sedentary , healthy , female smokers were r and omized to an 8-week program consisting of brief baseline smoking cessation counseling and the nicotine patch plus either 150 min/week of moderate intensity exercise or contact control . Participants attended a median of 86.4 % and 95.5 % of prescribed exercise/control sessions , respectively . There was a moderate , though statistically nonsignificant , effect of exercise at post-treatment for objective ly verified 7-day point prevalence abstinence ( 48.3 % vs. 23.3 % ; OR = 3.07 , 95 % CI : 0.89 - 11.07 ) and prolonged abstinence ( 34.5 % vs. 20.0 % ; OR = 2.11 , 95 % CI : 0.56 - 8.32 ) . Effects were attenuated when controlling for potential confounders , and after a 1-month , no-treatment period . The findings provide a preliminary indication that , given adequate compliance , moderate intensity exercise may enhance short-term smoking cessation outcomes for women ; however , a larger trial is warranted Twenty-nine cigarette smokers completed a smoking motivation question naire and had expired-air carbon monoxide ( CO ) and plasma nicotine concentrations measured prior to abstaining from smoking for 24 h. Before and after the abstinence period , the subjects rated mood and physical symptoms known to be affected by cigarette abstinence ( e.g. irritability , restlessness ) . Scores on the “ dependent smoking ” subscale of the smoking motivation question naire correlated significantly with overall withdrawal severity , craving , and increased irritability . “ Indulgent smoking ” scores correlated positively with increased hunger . Pre-abstinence plasma nicotine concentration significantly pedicted craving , hunger , restlessness , inability to concentrate and overall withdrawal severity , while expired-air CO predicted craving and restlessness only . Usual daily cigarette consumption did not significantly predict any withdrawal effects . The data indicate that pre-abstinence measures of smoking motivation and smoke intake may provide a guide to withdrawal severity on smoking cessation and that smokers with a high pre-abstinence nicotine intake experience the greatest discomfort Abstract . Rationale : Previous research suggests that a long bout of vigorous intensity exercise may reduce tobacco withdrawal symptoms and desire to smoke during abstinence . Objective : In the present study , we investigated whether a short bout of moderate intensity exercise reduced desire to smoke and withdrawal symptoms in abstaining smokers . Methods : Seventy-eight smokers attended the laboratory in the afternoon having not smoked since the previous evening . They rated their desire to smoke and withdrawal symptoms immediately before , during and after 10 min of moderate intensity exercise on a stationary cycle ( experimental condition ) , or after waiting passively ( control condition 1 ) or watching a video ( control condition 2 ) . Results : Ratings of desire to smoke and withdrawal symptoms decreased more in the experimental group than in both control groups , which did not differ from each other . The effect was evident at all measurement points and was maintained for at least 10 min following exercise . Conclusion : A single bout of 10 min of moderate intensity exercise has a rapid and measurable effect on desire to smoke and tobacco withdrawal symptoms in abstaining smokers . Short bouts of exercise may be useful in helping to reduce desire to smoke and withdrawal symptoms during smoking cessation To test the validity , magnitude , and clinical significance of the signs and symptoms of tobacco withdrawal defined by DSM-III , both observed and reported signs and symptoms were measured in 50 smokers during two days of ad lib smoking and then during the first four days of abstinence .  Observer and subject ratings of the DSM-III symptoms of craving for tobacco , irritability , anxiety , difficulty concentrating , and restlessness increased after cessation . In addition , bradycardia , impatience , somatic complaints , insomnia , increased hunger , and increased eating occurred after cessation . The frequency and intensity of these symptoms varied across subjects ; however , the average distress from tobacco withdrawal was similar to that observed in psychiatric out patients . Subjects who had more withdrawal discomfort were more tolerant to the cardiovascular effects of nicotine . Subjects who had more withdrawal discomfort did not have a lower rate of smoking cessation AIMS AND DESIGN Moderate-intensity exercise has been shown to reduce common smoking withdrawal symptoms and desire to smoke in acutely abstinent smokers . The aim of the present study was to determine if this was caused by distraction . A secondary aim was to determine whether exercise-related changes in affect were related to a reduction in symptoms . METHODS Forty ' sedentary ' participants who had smoked at least 10 or more cigarettes per day for at least 3 years were assigned r and omly to one of two groups . They completed either 10 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise on a stationary bicycle ergometer or 10 minutes of a cognitive distraction task ( paced visual serial addition task , PVSAT ) after 11 - 15 hours of smoking abstinence . Participants rated smoking withdrawal symptoms and desire to smoke using st and ard scales at 10 , 5 and 0 minutes before the experimental intervention , then at 5 and 10 minutes after the start of the intervention and 5 and 10 minutes after its completion . FINDINGS Significant group x time interactions were observed for ratings of desire to smoke and several withdrawal symptoms ( irritability , depression , restlessness , difficulty concentrating and stress ) . There was a reduction in ratings during and immediately following exercise that was not observed with cognitive distraction . Also it was found the effects were not mediated by changes in affect observed in the exercise condition . CONCLUSIONS A brief bout of moderate-intensity exercise can lead to a rapid reduction in desire to smoke and withdrawal discomfort , which is not due to the distracting effect of exercise or the effects of mood . These findings support recommendations to smokers to use exercise as a means of helping cope with the difficulties encountered when they try to stop
target: There is strong evidence that physical activity acutely reduces cigarette craving
background: AIMS To conduct an up date d systematic review and the first meta- analysis of experimental trials investigating the acute effects of short bouts of physical activity ( PA ) on strength of desire ( SoD ) and desire to smoke ( DtS ) using individual participant data ( IPD ) .