We also report a positive correlation between craving on the day of scan at 4 weeks of abstinence and cerebellar β2*-nAChR availability at 4 weeks of abstinence. Thus, those individuals with higher cerebellar β2*-nAChR availability at 4 weeks of abstinence report a greater urge to smoke on that day. Associations between nicotine and craving have previously been identified in the thalamus61, 62 and generally in areas associated with emotion and reward, and those with high densities of nAChRs (see63 for review). Interestingly, a previous study found associations between craving and regions subserving motor functions including the primary motor cortex, premotor cortex and supplementary motor area64 which require input from the cerebellum. Additionally, when smokers are told to actively resist craving during cigarette cue exposure, the motor cortex is deactivated65. Our finding of a link between the cerebellum and craving further suggests that craving has a motor component, so that craving for cigarettes may elicit preparation for action or voluntary movement, goal directed actions (e.g., lighting a cigarette, bringing a cigarette up to the mouth) and/or motor imagery which are linked
