SRI International Study Examines Link Between Smoking Cessation and Sleep Problems

MENLO PARK, Calif. -- October 31, 2006 -- SRI International, an independent nonprofit research and development institute, today announced a new study conducted for the National Institutes of Health to investigate the effects of smoking cessation and related treatments on sleep. The study, conducted by SRI's Center for Health Sciences and Human Sleep Research Laboratory, is one of the first collaborations of its kind between scientists studying sleep and those studying nicotine addiction.

Smoking remains one of the largest contributing factors to health problems in the United States, responsible for at least 400,000 deaths per year, and is a leading cause of heart and lung disease. Medications currently used to help quit smoking can have side effects that result in sleep problems, leading to a less effective cessation program.

"Although direct laboratory evidence is sparse, compelling circumstantial evidence indicates that smoking cessation can have a negative impact on sleep, which frequently leads to smoking relapse," explained Gary Swan, Ph.D., Director, SRI Center for Health Sciences and the principal investigator of the study. "The results of SRI’s study could lead to the development of more effective treatments, potentially reducing smoking prevalence and saving lives."

"In previous studies of common nicotine addiction treatments, nearly 50 percent of users have reported insomnia or sleep-related problems," said Ian Colrain, Ph.D., Director of SRI’s Human Sleep Research Laboratory and co-principal investigator.  "SRI’s study is examining the consequences of sleep disturbance, and how it can act as a powerful smoking relapse trigger and amplify the impact of other withdrawal symptoms. Disturbed sleep can also have a greater negative effect on daytime mood than total sleep deprivation."

SRI's Smoking Cessation and Sleep Study focuses on the following goals:

• To characterize the effects of smoking cessation on sleep patterns
• To determine the connection between current smoking cessation treatments and insomnia
• To assess the levels of daytime sleepiness, mood disturbance and the relationship to measured sleep disturbance
• To determine the relationship between sleep, daytime sleepiness and the possibility of risk for smoking relapse

SRI is interviewing potential study participants who would like to quit smoking. Selected participants are randomly assigned to receive a combination of active or placebo bupropion, and an active or placebo nicotine patch. Before, during and after their attempt to quit smoking, participants will take part in clinical sleep assessments.

See additional information regarding SRI’s Smoking Cessation and Sleep Study.

About SRI International

Silicon Valley-based SRI International (www.sri.com) is one of the world’s leading independent research and technology development organizations. Founded as Stanford Research Institute in 1946, SRI has been meeting the strategic needs of clients for 60 years. The nonprofit research institute performs client-sponsored research and development for government agencies, commercial businesses and private foundations. In addition to conducting contract R&D, SRI licenses its technologies, forms strategic partnerships and creates spin-off companies.

# # #