EFFECTS OF NICOTINE ABSTINENCE AND MENSTRUAL PHASE ON TASK-PERFORMANCE

Both menstrual phase and nicotine have been shown to affect task perfo rmance. Though conflicting results have been reported, at least one we ll-controlled study has demonstrated that women at midluteal phase sho w superior performance on speech articulation and speeded motor coordi nation tests, but poorer performance on perceptual-spatial tests, than during menses. Smokers have demonstrated superior performance on nume rous tasks following nicotine than following placebo. To explore the s eparate and combined influence of these factors, we studied 13 regular ly-menstruating smokers using a two (smoking vs. 12 hours' abstinence) by two (menstrual vs. midluteal phase) factorial design. During each session, subjects completed a test battery including two speeded motor coordination tasks, a computerized reaction time test, and the Stroop (1935) color/word test. Subjects completed the Stroop color and color -word tasks significantly faster after ad lib smoking than after overn ight abstinence. No other significant differences emerged. Our finding s replicate, in an all-female sample, previous reports that speed of c ognitive processing is reduced by nicotine abstinence (or enhanced by nicotine administration). Our failure to observe menstrual cycle effec ts raises the possibility that the anti-estrogenic effects of smoking may attenuate phase differences in performance.