EEG Changes During Tobacco Withdrawal

Tobacco smoking decreases theta and alpha power and increases the dominant alpha frequency in smokers deprived of cigarettes for 10‐17 hrs. The slow alpha frequency in deprived smokers has been attributed to either (1) characterological differences between smokers and nonsmokers, or (2) nicotine withdrawal. Studies finding slower alpha in deprived smokers were not able to replicate previous findings of decreased alpha abundance after smoking, nor did they consider the importance of increased theta as a withdrawal sign. We studied 11 smokers for one day and 7 smokers for two days while they smoked a series of placebo and nicotine cigarettes. Theta and alpha power increased with tobacco deprivation but were decreased for 30‐90 min by nicotine cigarettes. The dominant alpha frequency in deprived smokers was slower than after smoking a nicotine cigarette, but the decreases in frequency were not always statistically significant.