Inaddition,abstinence-induced alterations in SN-DMN coupling might relate to dysphoria associated with nicotine withdrawal.Smokers exhibited significant increases in negative mood symptoms in the abstinence vs smoking states, and the reduction in the RAI in abstinence (vs smoking) showed a trend for association with increased negative affect. Likewise, patients with depression and dysthymia show increases in resting-state DMN activity and altered DMN connectivity compared with control patients,46,47 an effect normalized by antidepressant treatment.46 These abnormalities in resting-state connectivity are thought to contribute to DMN hyperactivity and an inability to shift attention away from ruminations that characterize these disorders. Thus, we speculate that smokers attempting to quit may also experience difficulty disengaging from self-focused thoughts related to withdrawal discomfort, as reflected in the weaker SN-DMN anticorrelation in the RAI.
