Can smoking increase attention in rapid information processing during noise? Electrocortical, physiological and behavioral effects

This study investigated the effects of smoking on subject-paced visual rapid information processing performance (RIP) under the influence of disturbing noise. The RIP task required the subjects to detect triads of even or odd digits within a pseudorandom sequence of single digits presented on a screen. Two groups of 12 female habitual smokers who were not allowed to smoke during the last 10 h preceding the test sessions underwent two test sessions each consisting of two RIP trials separated by a smoking period (habitual cigarette) for one group and by a relaxation period without smoking for the second group. Noise disturbance was presented during the second RIP trial of one of the two sessions only. Smoking increased RIP performance, but noise failed to show any measurable effect. EEG analyzed during RIP revealed the expected noise-induced decrease in alpha power. ERP analyses showed a smoking-induced decrease in the CNV-related negativity but no noise effects. The late positive wave (LP) increased after smoking, but to a lesser extent under the noise condition. The analyses of peripheral physiological measures revealed smoking- and noise-induced heart rate acceleration and cutaneous vasoconstriction. Plasma cortisol, prolactin and HGH were also increased after the noise session. The results indicate therefore that smoking increased RIP, whereas noise failed to affect mental performance, although it produced measurable vegetative stress effects.