Final answer:
Nicotine impacts the cholinergic pathway in the brain, affecting both sympathetic and parasympathetic pathways by acting on nicotinic receptors. This can lead to depolarization of ganglionic neurons and can have varying effects on the body's systems, including raising blood pressure and causing arrhythmias in the cardiovascular system.
Step-by-step explanation:
True, nicotine does act on the cholinergic pathway in the brain, affecting both sympathetic and parasympathetic nicotinic receptors. All ganglionic neurons of the autonomic nervous system are activated by acetylcholine (ACh) released from preganglionic fibers, and these neurons have nicotinic type ACh receptors. Nicotine acts as an ACh analog, binding to these receptors, resulting in depolarization and activation of both sympathetic and parasympathetic ganglionic neurons. However, the effects of nicotine are not uniform across all systems. For example, in the cardiovascular system, nicotine can increase blood pressure and cause arrhythmias due to the unique influence the autonomic system has on the heart.