Tobacco Smoking Functional Networks: A Whole-Brain Connectome Analysis in 24 539 Individuals.

This article focuses on the impact of chronic nicotine use on whole-brain resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) by analyzing data from 24,539 adults aged 40 and above in the UK Biobank cohort. Using a data-driven network analysis approach, the study identified two significant nicotine-use-related subnetworks characterized primarily by reduced rsFC: one centered on the basal ganglia (including bilateral nucleus accumbens, putamen, caudate, and globus pallidus) showing decreased connectivity with 73% of other brain regions, and another involving frontal and occipital lobe regions linked to visual, attention, and frontoparietal networks. These findings suggest widespread disruptions in brain network coordination associated with chronic smoking, likely reflecting neuroadaptive changes in dopamine-related circuits and compensatory mechanisms reinforcing nicotine addiction. The study’s cross-sectional design and lack of acute nicotine use data limit causal interpretations, highlighting the need for longitudinal research.