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Published on: February 11, 2019
Functional brain imaging of nicotinic effects on higher cognitive processes
Paul A Newhouse1, Alexandra S Potter, Julie A Dumas
1Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit and Brain Imaging Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, VT 05401, USA. Paul.Newhouse@uvm.edu
Biochemical Pharmacology
|June 21, 2011
Summary
Functional brain imaging reveals nicotine's effects on cognition. Nicotine increases task activity in non-smokers and deprived smokers, while decreasing default mode network activity, aiding nicotinic drug development.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pharmacology
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Human functional brain imaging advances allow direct observation of nicotine's impact on cognitive and behavioral performance.
- Research over the past decade has elucidated the role of nicotinic systems in the neuroanatomy and neural circuitry of cognitive tasks.
- Progress in understanding functional connectivity offers new avenues for examining drug effects on network activity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To critically review functional brain imaging studies on nicotinic agents and their effects on cognition.
- To focus on the cognitive domains of attention, memory, behavioral control, and emotional processing.
- To explore the utility of these findings for drug development and screening.
Main Methods:
- Review of available nicotinic functional brain imaging studies.
- Analysis of effects on selective attention, working memory, episodic memory, cognitive control, and emotional processing.
- Examination of functional connectivity and network-related activity.
Main Results:
- Nicotine generally increases task-related brain activity in non-smokers and nicotine-deprived smokers, but not in active smokers.
- Nicotinic stimulation decreases activity in the default mode network.
- Observed activation/deactivation patterns show potential for early drug development and screening.
Conclusions:
- Functional brain imaging provides a valuable tool for understanding nicotinic system function in cognitive and emotional processes.
- Observed brain activity changes may serve as biomarkers for nicotinic drug development.
- Further research is needed to correlate imaging findings with clinically relevant cognitive and affective outcomes.
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