These findings further our understanding of aberrant neural mechanisms underlying cognitive deficits observed in abstaining staining smokers1,2 and how these deficits may increase relapse risk.4,5 We propose that in the nicotine-deprived state, the SN increases the allocation of attentional resources to attend to abstinence-induced cravings to smoke, leading to a bias toward enhanced DMN activity (ie, decreased inhibition of the DMN). Concurrently, weaker SN-ECN coupling during abstinence decreases ECN operations. The combination of decreased ECN activity and less suppression of DMN activity may result in cognitive deficits.22,45 Moreover, reductions in ECN activity may increase smokers’ difficulty in exerting top-down cognitive control to resist urges to smoke.
