Altered white matter functional network in nicotine addiction

•For the first time, the present study explored the topological properties of the WM functional network in the case of addiction, highlighting decreased small-world topological properties in nicotine addiction participants compared with healthy controls.•The clinical application based on the abnormal small-world topological properties of WM function indicated potential biomarkers for clinical diagnosis and severity identification in the case of nicotine addiction.•These findings indicated that smokers reflected decreased segregated function while maintaining a relatively normal integrated function for the WM functional network.•Abnormal small-world properties in WM functional connectivity may expand our understanding of neuropsychiatric disorders.•Thus, the small-world topological properties of the WM functional network could be qualified as potential biomarkers in the addiction field.