Smoking cigarettes, hookahs, cigars and pipes sends thousands of chemicals including nicotine into the body. The chemical nicotine in cigarettes produces both physical and emotional effects on the brain and can cause dependence, meaning that individuals cannot stop using it, reports MayoClinic.com. Because smoking causes temporarily pleasing effects in the brain, quitting can cause withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety, depression and irritability. Several areas of the human mind are affected by smoking cigarettes.
Ventral Tegmental
According to Jonathon Foulds, Ph.D., a researcher and writer at Healthline.com, nicotine from smoking affects the reward center of the brain that lies in the midbrain ventral tegmentum area, or VTA. Foulds notes that nicotine from inhaled smoke is carried from the lungs to the arterial circulation and then to the brain within only 10 to 15 seconds. The nicotine then binds to receptors in the VTA, triggering a release of the neurotransmitter dopamine, which causes a temporary feeling of satisfaction, relaxation and pleasure that the smoker associates with smoking.
Fasciculus Retroflexus
Another area of the brain that is specifically affected by smoking is called the fasciculus retroflexus, which is a tract that is located in the midbrain. This area of the brain is responsible for feelings of emotional control, sexual arousal and REM sleep. According to an article published in the journal "Neuropharmacology," a study conducted at the University of California, Los Angeles, Brain Research Institute, found that nicotine from smoking causes degeneration to this particular area of the brain. The fasciculus retroflexus plays an important role in addiction to stimulants such as nicotine, and the study showed that increased levels of smoking caused more damage to this area in chronic smokers, increased dependence on smoking, and decreased moods and functions that this area of the brain controls.
Cerebrum
Smoking affects the largest and topmost part of the brain called the cerebrum, which is the primary area of intellect. Though some smokers claim that smoking improves concentration and mental alertness, ScienceDaily.com suggests that chronic and long-term smoking may decrease memory and problem-solving skills. This may occur because smoking leads to thickening and clotting of the blood and decreased oxygen and blood flow to the cells of the brain. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke notes that smokers have an increased risk of stroke that can cause further damage to the brain's mental capacity and other functions.
