The modulatory role of nicotine on cognitive and non-cognitive functions.

Nicotine, as the main component of tobacco, plays a key role in various behaviors of both humans and animals including reward, addiction, learning and memory, anxiety, pain as well as body weight and temperature. Nicotine exerts its function by activating nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) which one highly expressed throughout the nervous system. The mesocorticolimbic dopamine system mediates the processing of reward, learning and memory behaviors produced by nicotine. In addition, some structures of the central nervous system, such as the hippocampus and amygdala, have a major role in mediation of nicotine properties. Furthermore, the effect of nicotine in modulation of cognitive and non-cognitive functions can produce by other neurochemical systems such as opioid, dopamine, glutamate, cannabinoids, GABA and serotonin as well as nitric oxide. The present review will explain involvement of these neurotransmitters on cognitive and non-cognitive functions induced by nicotine.