Chronic smoking, but not acute nicotine administration, modulates neural correlates of working memory.

ABSTRACT:

Rationale

Beyond the amelioration of deprivation-induced impairments, and in contrast to effects on attentional processes, the cognitive-enhancing properties of nicotine on working memory (WM) operations remain unclear.

Objectives

In an effort to elucidate potential enhancing effects, we explored the impact of transdermal nicotine on neural functioning in minimally deprived smokers and, in addition, assessed differences between smokers and non-smokers using a mixed block/event-related fMRI design that attempted to isolate specific central executive operations (attentional switch events) within general WM function (task blocks).

Methods

In task blocks, participants performed a continuous counting paradigm that required the simultaneous maintenance of, and frequent swit

SUBMITTER: Sutherland MT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3075887 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature