Effects of Varenicline on Plasticity in Schizophrenia

The experimental laboratory study will be designed as a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled acute treatment trial. Paired Associative Stimulation (PAS)-induced cortical evoked activity and Working Memory (WM) will be assessed in healthy non-smokers and non-smokers with SCZ, after five doses of varenicline tartrate (0.5 mg/dose) and placebo treatment. PAS will be induced by pairing transcranial magnetic stimulation with peripheral nerve stimulation, 25 msec apart (hence PAS-25). In part 1, motor cortex plasticity will be assessed as changes in motor evoked potential comparing pre to post PAS up tp 120 min after PAS. In part 2, DLPFC evoked cortical activity will be assessed using EEG comparing pre to post PAS. Effects of varenicline and PAS-25 on WM will evaluated using a computerized N-back task, assessed directly before the PAS testing. The whole experimental session will be repeated for each participant twice: once with varenicline tartrate treatment and once with placebo treatment, two weeks apart.