Electroencephalographic responses to photic stimulation in habitual smokers and nonsmokers.

Abstract

Two studies are reported in which EEG of habitual cigarette smokers and of nonsmokers were taken before and after they were required to smoke a cigarette. The EEG were scored for incidence of EEG driving responses to photic stimulation, an index that appears to reflect the balance between central adrenergic and cholinergic nervous systems. Smokers tend to have a central autonomic balance less in favor of adrenergic functioning than do nonsmokers. Cigarette smoking may alleviate a possible central adrenergic insufficiency of smokers. These findings suggest a solution to Nesbitt''s paradox, which has reference to the fact that while nicotine is a central adrenergic stimulant, smokers describe the effect of smoking in sedational terms (i.e., as relaxing or calming).