Title:Smoking and Cognition
Volume: 9
Issue: 2
Author(s): Marcela Waisman Campos, Debora Serebrisky and Joao Mauricio Castaldelli-Maia*
Affiliation:
- Departamento de Psiquiatria, Faculdade de Medicina da USP, Sao Paulo,Brazil
Keywords:
Attention, cognition, memory, neuropsychology, tobacco, smoking.
Abstract: Given the large availability of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) throughout the
brain, and the wide range of neurotransmitter systems affected (norepinephrine, serotonin and
dopamine), nicotine influences a wide variety of cognitive domains such as sensorial, motor,
attention, executive function, learning and memory. This article reviews current state of the art
research on the effects of nicotine upon cognition. There are different neurobiological mechanisms
involved in acute/chronic smoking and nicotine abstinence. Smoking reinforcement could be due to
the initial cognitive improvement, that is, individuals can learn that smoking temporarily increases
cognitive functioning (improving some components of attention and memory). These acute nicotine
effects improve (i) cognitive performance above smokers’ normal levels, and (ii) cognitive
disruption resulting from nicotine abstinence. Both neurobiological effects act as reinforcers to
nicotine use, greatly contributing to the development of nicotine dependence. However, heavy
smoking is associated with cognitive impairment and cognitive decline in middle age. Future clinical
research should investigate the role of positive and negative cognitive effects of nicotine in smoking
cessation treatment. This is clearly an important scientific issue, with insufficient current data from
which to draw definitive conclusions.
