The relationship between orexin - leptin, temperament - character features and craving in faculty of medicine students and research assistants with tobacco use disorder

In subjects addicted to nicotine, relapse is often preceded by an urge to smoke (craving) that has been discussed as a major risk factor for relapse. Therefore, it is important to investigate the factors that might affect the consolidation of craving situation. In this research, we aimed to investigate the serum orexin-leptin levels and temperament-character features which may effect the craving in the indivudials with tobacco use disorder. Methods: The sample group is 80 persons that consists of Celal Bayar University medicine faculty students and research assistants.Firstly, DSM-V tobacco use disorder criteria was taken into consideration in the interview with these indivudials.The control group was established 40 healthy volunteers, that is consist of Celal Bayar University medicine faculty students and research assistants, matched for age, gender, body mass index and education levels with tobacco use disorder group. Both groups were applied sociodemographic and clinical information form, DSM-IV SCID-I clinical version, Substance craving scale, Fagerstrom nicotine dependence scale, Cloninger temperament and character inventory and serum samples were taken for the identification of orexin-leptin levels. Results:Smoker group's TCI total novelty seeking scale (p=0.003) score and NS4 (p=0.003) and NS5 (p=0.002) subgroups scale scores; nonsmoker group's self-directedness SD2 (p=0.02), SD5 (p=0.01) subscale scores and cooperativeness total score (p=0.001) and C4 (p=0.002), C5 (p=0.001) subgroups scores were detected higher.A positive correlation was found between the smoking duration and NS-total score (p=0.09) and NS3 (p=0.03) subgrup score.It is found that the mothers' of smoker group were smoked more cigarettes (p=0.024). The mean plasma orexin level was detected lower in smoking group (p<0.001). In both groups, mean plasma leptin level was detected higher in female groups (in smoker group p=0.002, in non smoker group p<0.001). In smoking group, a positive correlation was found between plasma orexin and TCI-RD1 (p=0.04); in nonsmoker group, negative correlations were found between orexin and HA4 (p=0.006) and HA-total (p=0.02) scores. In smoker group, positive correlation was detected between plasma leptin and TCI-NS2 (p=0.03); but a negative correlation was found between plasma leptin and RD1 (p=0.02).Plasma orexin showed a good level success for distinguishing nonsmokers (p=0.001). Conclusions: As a result of this study, between smokers and nonsmokers, in TCI subgroup scales and plasma orexin levels were different in terms. These results will provide guidance for dealing with craving resulting from smoking cessation. Also, It is a lack that there is no scale that assesses the only nicotin craving in Turkey; so it is important to make studies in this area