Many functional brain imaging studies of tobacco use and dependence have been performed, using four primary imaging modalities: (i) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), (ii) positron emission tomography (PET), (iii) single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), and (iv) autoradiography. These imaging modalities have been used to determine relationships between brain function and the effects of acute and chronic cigarette smoking and of smoking-related behaviors. For this chapter, the MEDLINE database was searched using keywords for the four imaging techniques mentioned above, cross-referenced with the words “nicotine”, “cigarette”, and “tobacco.” Only data-driven functional imaging studies were included in this review, and reference lists within papers found on MEDLINE were also examined and relevant studies included here. In order to maintain focus in this chapter, functional imaging techniques that provide measures of blood flow and metabolism (which are closely related under normal conditions; Paulson 2002) are combined under the general heading of brain activity (including fMRI and certain types of SPECT, PET, and autoradiography studies). Also, in order to build a cohesive model of brain activity responses to acute and chronic smoking,
