When investigating chronic cigarette smoking-induced neurobiological and neurocognitive dysfunction alone, or in conjunction with AUD and other conditions, it is important to distinguish the effects of acute nicotine ingestion and withdrawal from the potential consequences of chronic exposure to the multitude of noxious compounds contained in cigarette smoke. While not the focus of this review, the general findings and implications are discussed regarding the effects of acute nicotine on neurocognition and brain neurobiology, as measured with functional neuroimaging methods [i.e., functional MRI (fMRI), positron emission tomography (PET), single positron emission tomography (SPECT)].
