Previous neuroimaging research assessing the chronic effects of cigarette smoking has been primarily restricted to a few CT and MR-based studies of brain morphology, metabolites or blood flow, which primarily targeted neocortical and subcortical GM. Only one study investigated WM integrity via DTI. Prospective multimodal neuroimaging studies thoroughly examining WM morphology, biochemistry and perfusion of regional cerebral WM have not been conducted. Assessment of the cerebral WM is vital to better understand the extent of potential neurobiological dysfunction associated with chronic cigarette smoking.
