Nicotine’s Effects in the Brain After cigarette smokers were injected with up to two milligrams of nicotine, researchers used fMRI to track the brain areas activated, which included the nucleus accumbens, the amygdala, and the thalamus. Previous research has shown that these brain structures produce the reinforcing, mood-elevating properties of other abused drugs, including cocaine, amphetamines, and opiates (Stein & others, 1998).

Courtesy of Dr. Elliot A. Stein, Dept. of Psychiatry, Medical College of Wisconsin