A new study suggests that the effect nicotine has on the brain is influenced by a smoker’s belief about nicotine content, reports HealthDay.

In a series of experiments with 24 nicotine-addicted smokers, researchers found that to satisfy nicotine cravings, smokers not only had to smoke a cigarette with nicotine, but also had to believe the cigarette contained nicotine.

Study participants were twice given a nicotine-containing cigarette and twice given a cigarette without nicotine (a placebo). With each type of cigarette, they were once told the truth about the cigarette’s nicotine content, and once told the opposite, the study authors explained.

Smokers’ cravings were not satisfied when they smoked a cigarette with nicotine but didn’t believe it had nicotine, the study revealed.

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