The Effect of Smoking on Brain Wave Activity in Middle-Aged Men Measured by Electrocorticography

The approximately 4,000 chemicals generated during smoking, such as carbon monoxide, nicotine, and tar, cause serious health diseases including cancer, vascular disease, kidney disease, and sudden death (1-3). The direct and indirect consequences of smoking are widely known, but the smoking population is not decreasing, and smoking is becoming an even more serious public health concern (3-5). Nicotine causes physiological dependence by affecting catecholamine secretion in the central and peripheral nervous systems. Nicotine also interacts with chemical toxins and binds to specific receptors in the central nervous system, resulting in functional changes in the central nervous system and stimulation of the pleasure center within the cerebrum. This extreme pleasure is identical to that observed during other forms of drug use, such as heroin and morphine use (6, 7). The effect of smoking on the central nervous system is well known. However, an objective understanding of the specific brain regions that are stimulated is lacking. Electrocorticography is a noninvasive method of investigating this brain activation efficiently (8). Brain waves are classified into α-and β-waves Alpha (α)-waves (8–12.99 Hz) neurophysiologically reflect the steady state of the brain; the psychological status is most efficient during α-wave activity, and their presence, as during meditation for example, implies that stress and anxiety are decreased, and the brain is relaxed. Beta (β)-waves (13–29.99 Hz) are considered the " activity brainwave " ; these waves range 13–20 Hz during daily activity, while high β-waves (20 Hz– 29.99 Hz) imply stress, excessive concentration, and anger. High β-waves predominate during learning while in an arousal state or when concentrating on certain events. Brain neurons use a significant amount of energy during arousal, concentration, anxiety, and chaos, and further decision making is compromised if β-wave stimulation persists, resulting in the loss of ideal concentration. Accordingly, the present study investigated the effect of smoking on brain wave activity by examining the change in α-and β-waves before and after smoking. This study included 16 men over 40 years of age who smoked for over 10 years. The subjects were asked to stop smoking 2 hours before undergoing electrocorticography. Electrocorticography was performed at baseline and repeated within 5 minutes after the subject smoked one cigarette. Subjects were asked to stop smoking 2 hours be