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Chiu HJ, Sun CK, Wang HY, Chang HY, Kuo CH, Sue YR, Wu SH, Tung SY, Lee CY, Yeh PY. A systematic review and meta-analysis of the relationship between heavy smoking and probability discounting. Am J Addict 2024; 33:375-384. [PMID: 38290762 DOI: 10.1111/ajad.13521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 01/01/2024] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Probability discounting (PD), which refers to the process of adjusting the value of future probabilities when making decisions, is a method of measuring impulsive decision-making; however, the relationship between PD and nicotine remains unclear. The current study aimed at investigating the significance of PD in individuals who smoke. METHODS According to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, we searched the PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, and Web of Science databases for articles comparing individuals who smoke and their tobacco-naïve controls using PD task as outcome measure from inception to May 2023. The main outcome was an overall difference in PD function, while subgroup analysis and meta-regression were conducted to examine the analysis methods and the moderators of PD. RESULTS Fourteen studies in total involving 384 individuals who smoke and 493 controls (mean age = 24.32 years, range = 15.1-38.05 years) were analyzed. The effect of smoking on PD was significant (g = 0.51, p = .02). The discounting parameter from the equation, compared to the area under the curve, was more sensitive to estimating PD function (p = .01). Regression analysis showed positive correlations of PD with female percentage, age, and the number of probability options (all p < .04), but not with the number of choices at each probability and maximum reward magnitude (all p > .07). There was no significant publication bias across the eligible studies (p = .09). CONCLUSION AND SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE Our findings, which are the first to demonstrate a smaller PD (i.e., prone to risk-taking) in individuals who smoke, shed light on the appropriate analysis method, gender effect, age, and probability options on the PD function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsien-Jane Chiu
- Taoyuan Psychiatric Center, Minster of Health and Welfare, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- Institute of Hospital and Health Care Administration, National Yang-Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Cheuk-Kwan Sun
- Department of Emergency Medicine, E-Da Dachang Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- School of Medicine for International Students, College of Medicine, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Hung-Yu Wang
- Kaohsiung Municipal Kai-Syuan Psychiatric Hospital, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan
| | - Han-Yun Chang
- Department of Psychology, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Clinical Psychology Center, Asia University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Chun-Hsien Kuo
- Department of Psychology, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Ru Sue
- Department of Psychology, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Shu-Hsuan Wu
- Department of Psychology, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Shih-Yi Tung
- Department of Psychology, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Chiao-Yu Lee
- Department of Psychology, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Pin-Yang Yeh
- Department of Psychology, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Clinical Psychology Center, Asia University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
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Nolder KA, Anderson KG. Effects of acute and chronic nicotine administration on probability discounting. Behav Pharmacol 2023; 34:468-476. [PMID: 37668161 DOI: 10.1097/fbp.0000000000000753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/06/2023]
Abstract
Nicotine use is a continuing public health concern. Smokers are more likely to make risky or maladaptive decisions compared to nonsmokers, so the relation between nicotine and risky choice warrants further investigation. Risky choice can be operationally defined as the choice for a larger, uncertain reinforcer over a smaller, certain reinforcer and can be assessed through a probability-discounting procedure. Acute nicotine administration has been shown to alter risky choice, but because the everyday smoker uses nicotine repeatedly, more research on chronic administration is needed and would allow for assessment of tolerance or sensitization of any effects. The present study examined effects of acute and repeated nicotine administration on probability discounting. Sprague-Dawley rats were used as subjects and the probability-discounting task involved discrete-trial choices between a small, certain reinforcer and a larger, uncertain reinforcer. The probability of larger-reinforcer delivery decreased across blocks within each session. Acute nicotine (0.1-1.0 mg/kg) administration dose-dependently increased risky choice, increased lose-stay ratios (a measure of response perseveration), and decreased reinforcement frequency. Tolerance to nicotine's effects on larger-reinforcer choice was observed after repeated 1.0 mg/kg nicotine administration. The results of the present study add to the existing literature that acute nicotine administration increases risky choice and demonstrates that tolerance to this effect develops after chronic exposure to the drug. Possible behavioral mechanisms behind this effect are discussed, as are suggestions for future research on nicotine and risky choice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katya A Nolder
- Department of Psychology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
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Giner P, Maynez-Anchondo L, Liley AE, Uribe KP, Frietze GA, Simon NW, Mendez IA. Increased Risky Choice and Reduced CHRNB2 Expression in Adult Male Rats Exposed to Nicotine Vapor. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:1231. [PMID: 35163155 PMCID: PMC8835719 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23031231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Revised: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
While the cognitive enhancing effects of nicotine use have been well documented, it has also been shown to impair decision making. The goal of this study was to determine if exposure to nicotine vapor increases risky decision making. The study also aims to investigate possible long-term effects of nicotine vapor exposure on the expression of genes coding for cholinergic and dopaminergic receptors in brain. Thirty-two adult male Sprague Dawley rats were exposed to 24 mg/mL nicotine vapor or vehicle control, immediately followed by testing in the probability discounting task for 10 consecutive days. Fifty-four days after the 10-day vapor exposure, animals were sacrificed and expression of genes coding for the α4 and β2 cholinergic receptor subunits, and dopamine D1 and D2 receptors, were analyzed using RT-PCR. Exposure to nicotine vapor caused an immediate and transient increase in risky choice. Analyses of gene expression identified significant reductions in CHRNB2 and DRD1 in the nucleus accumbens core and CHRNB2 and DRD2 in the medial prefrontal cortex of rats previously exposed to nicotine vapor, relative to vehicle controls. Results provide data on the negative cognitive effects of nicotine vapor exposure and identify cholinergic and dopaminergic mechanisms that may affected with repeated use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priscilla Giner
- Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA; (P.G.); (L.M.-A.); (K.P.U.)
| | - Liliana Maynez-Anchondo
- Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA; (P.G.); (L.M.-A.); (K.P.U.)
| | - Anna E. Liley
- Department of Psychology, The University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38111, USA; (A.E.L.); (N.W.S.)
| | - Kevin P. Uribe
- Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA; (P.G.); (L.M.-A.); (K.P.U.)
| | - Gabriel A. Frietze
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA;
| | - Nicholas W. Simon
- Department of Psychology, The University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38111, USA; (A.E.L.); (N.W.S.)
| | - Ian A. Mendez
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA;
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Yates JR, Horchar MJ, Ellis AL, Kappesser JL, Mbambu P, Sutphin TG, Dehner DS, Igwe HO, Wright MR. Differential effects of glutamate N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonists on risky choice as assessed in the risky decision task. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2021; 238:133-148. [PMID: 32936321 PMCID: PMC7796939 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-020-05664-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 09/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Risky choice can be measured using the risky decision task (RDT). In the RDT, animals choose between a large, risky option that is paired with probabilistic foot shock and a small, safe option that is never paired with shock. To date, studies examining the neurochemical basis of decision-making in the RDT have focused primarily on the dopaminergic system but have not focused on the glutamatergic system, which has been implicated in risky decision-making. OBJECTIVES Because glutamate is known to play a critical role in decision-making, we wanted to determine the contribution of the glutamatergic system to performance in the RDT. METHODS In the experiment, 32 rats (16 male; 16 female) were tested in the RDT. The probability of receiving a foot shock increased across the session (ascending schedule) for half of the rats but decreased across the session (descending schedule) for half of the rats. Following training, rats received injections of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor competitive antagonist CGS 19755 (0, 1.0, 2.5, 5.0 mg/kg; s.c.) and the GluN2B-selective antagonist Ro 63-1908 (0, 0.1, 0.3, 1.0 mg/kg; s.c.). RESULTS CGS 19755 (2.5 and 5.0 mg/kg) increased risky choice in males and females trained on the ascending schedule. Ro 63-1908 (1.0 mg/kg) decreased risky choice, but only in male rats trained on the ascending schedule. CONCLUSIONS Although NMDA receptor antagonists differentially alter risky choice in the RDT, the current results show that NMDA receptors are an important mediator of decision-making involving probabilistic delivery of positive punishment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin R Yates
- Department of Psychological Science, Northern Kentucky University, 1 Nunn Drive, Highland Heights, KY, 41099, USA.
| | - Matthew J Horchar
- Department of Psychological Science, Northern Kentucky University, 1 Nunn Drive, Highland Heights, KY, 41099, USA
| | - Alexis L Ellis
- Department of Psychological Science, Northern Kentucky University, 1 Nunn Drive, Highland Heights, KY, 41099, USA
| | - Joy L Kappesser
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Kentucky University, 1 Nunn Drive, Highland Heights, KY, 41099, USA
| | - Prodiges Mbambu
- Department of Psychological Science, Northern Kentucky University, 1 Nunn Drive, Highland Heights, KY, 41099, USA
| | - Tanner G Sutphin
- Department of Psychological Science, Northern Kentucky University, 1 Nunn Drive, Highland Heights, KY, 41099, USA
| | - Destiny S Dehner
- Department of Psychological Science, Northern Kentucky University, 1 Nunn Drive, Highland Heights, KY, 41099, USA
| | - Hephzibah O Igwe
- Department of Psychological Science, Northern Kentucky University, 1 Nunn Drive, Highland Heights, KY, 41099, USA
| | - Makayla R Wright
- Department of Psychological Science, Northern Kentucky University, 1 Nunn Drive, Highland Heights, KY, 41099, USA
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Íbias J, Nazarian A. Sex differences in nicotine-induced impulsivity and its reversal with bupropion in rats. J Psychopharmacol 2020; 34:1382-1392. [PMID: 32684065 PMCID: PMC7708527 DOI: 10.1177/0269881120937543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Enhancement in cognitive impulsivity and the resulting alterations in decision making serve as a contributing factor for the development and maintenance of substance-use disorders. Nicotine-induced increases in impulsivity has been previously reported in male humans and rodents. Although the potential for sex differences in nicotine-induced impulsivity has not been examined. AIMS AND METHODS In the present study, male and female Sprague Dawley rats were submitted to a delay discounting task, in which several consecutive measures of self-control were taken. Firstly, rats were tested with vehicle, and next with nicotine doses of 0.4 and 0.8 mg/kg. Thereafter, chronic treatment with bupropion started, and the animals were tested again. Half the animals continued to receive 0.8 mg/kg of nicotine, while the rest received nicotine and also a daily dose of 30 mg/kg of bupropion. RESULTS When the animals were first tested with nicotine, female rats showed a significant nicotine dose dependent increase of impulsive behaviour, whereas male rats only showed a decrease on their elections of the larger but delayed reward under the highest dose of 0.8 mg/kg of nicotine. Treatment with bupropion blocked the effect of nicotine on decision making in female rats, as they showed results close to their baseline levels. On the other hand, bupropion did not affect the nicotine-induced delay discounting in male rats. CONCLUSION These findings demonstrate sexually dimorphic effects of nicotine on cognitive impulsivity which may help to shed light on nicotine use vulnerabilities observed in women.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Arbi Nazarian
- Correspondence: Arbi Nazarian, Ph.D., Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Western University of Health Sciences, 309 E. Second Street, Pomona, CA 91766, USA. , (909) 469-5424
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Gür E, Duyan YA, Türkakın E, Arkan S, Karson A, Balcı F. Aging impairs perceptual decision-making in mice: integrating computational and neurobiological approaches. Brain Struct Funct 2020; 225:1889-1902. [PMID: 32566973 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-020-02101-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2019] [Accepted: 06/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Decision-making is one of the cognitive domains which has been under-investigated in animal models of cognitive aging along with its neurobiological correlates. This study investigated the latent variables of the decision process using the hierarchical drift-diffusion model (HDDM). Neurobiological correlates of these processes were examined via immunohistochemistry. Young (n = 11, 4 months old), adult (n = 10, 10 months old), and old (n = 10, 18 months old) mice were tested in a perceptual decision-making task (i.e. two-alternative forced-choice; 2AFC). Observed data showed that there was an age-dependent decrease in the accuracy rate of old mice while response times were comparable between age groups. HDDM results revealed that age-dependent accuracy difference was a result of a decrease in the quality of evidence integration during decision-making. Significant positive correlations observed between evidence integration rate and the number of tyrosine hydroxylase positive (TH+) neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and axon terminals in dorsomedial striatum (DMS) suggest that decrease in the quality of evidence integration in aging is related to decreased function of mesocortical and nigrostriatal dopamine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ezgi Gür
- Timing and Decision-Making Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Koç University, 34450, Istanbul, Turkey
- Koç University Research Center for Translational Medicine, 34450, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Yalçın Akın Duyan
- Timing and Decision-Making Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Koç University, 34450, Istanbul, Turkey
- Koç University Research Center for Translational Medicine, 34450, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Esin Türkakın
- Timing and Decision-Making Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Koç University, 34450, Istanbul, Turkey
- Koç University Research Center for Translational Medicine, 34450, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Sertan Arkan
- Timing and Decision-Making Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Koç University, 34450, Istanbul, Turkey
- Koç University Research Center for Translational Medicine, 34450, Istanbul, Turkey
- Physiology Department, Kocaeli University, Umuttepe Campus, 41380, Kocaeli, Turkey
| | - Ayşe Karson
- Physiology Department, Kocaeli University, Umuttepe Campus, 41380, Kocaeli, Turkey
| | - Fuat Balcı
- Timing and Decision-Making Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Koç University, 34450, Istanbul, Turkey.
- Koç University Research Center for Translational Medicine, 34450, Istanbul, Turkey.
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Groman SM. The Neurobiology of Impulsive Decision-Making and Reinforcement Learning in Nonhuman Animals. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2020; 47:23-52. [PMID: 32157666 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2020_127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Impulsive decisions are those that favor immediate over delayed rewards, involve the acceptance of undue risk or uncertainty, or fail to adapt to environmental changes. Pathological levels of impulsive decision-making have been observed in individuals with mental illness, but there may be substantial heterogeneity in the processes that drive impulsive choices. Understanding this behavioral heterogeneity may be critical for understanding associated diverseness in the neural mechanisms that give rise to impulsivity. The application of reinforcement learning algorithms in the deconstruction of impulsive decision-making phenotypes can help bridge the gap between biology and behavior and provide insights into the biobehavioral heterogeneity of impulsive choice. This chapter will review the literature on the neurobiological mechanisms of impulsive decision-making in nonhuman animals; specifically, the role of the amine neuromodulatory systems (dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine, and acetylcholine) in impulsive decision-making and reinforcement learning processes is discussed. Ultimately, the integration of reinforcement learning algorithms with sophisticated behavioral and neuroscience techniques may be critical for advancing the understanding of the neurochemical basis of impulsive decision-making.
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Zhou L, Fisher ML, Cole RD, Gould TJ, Parikh V, Ortinski PI, Turner JR. Neuregulin 3 Signaling Mediates Nicotine-Dependent Synaptic Plasticity in the Orbitofrontal Cortex and Cognition. Neuropsychopharmacology 2018; 43:1343-1354. [PMID: 29114105 PMCID: PMC5916355 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2017.278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2017] [Revised: 10/02/2017] [Accepted: 10/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Neuregulin 3 (NRG3) and ErbB4 have been linked to nicotine addiction; however, the neuronal mechanisms and behavioral consequences of NRG3-ErbB4 sensitivity to nicotine remain elusive. Recent literature suggests that relapse to smoking is due to a lack of impulsive control, which is thought to be due to altered functioning within the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). Therefore, we examined circuitry changes within this structure following nicotine application. We report that nicotine controls synaptic plasticity in the OFC through NRG3/ErbB4-dependent regulation of GABAergic inhibition. We observed that both nicotine and NRG3 facilitated the conversion of long-term potentiation into long-term depression at cortical layer 3/5 synapses. Induction of long-term depression by nicotine relied on nicotinic receptor activation and key regulators of NRG3 signaling: (1) release of intracellular calcium, (2) activation of the BACE1 beta-secretase, and (3) ErbB4 receptor activation. Nicotine-induced synaptic plasticity was also associated with accumulation of intracellular GABA and was completely blocked by GABAA/GABAB antagonists. To test whether these mechanisms underlie OFC-dependent behavior, we evaluated the effects of nicotine in the go/no-go task. Nicotine-impaired stimulus discrimination in this task was rescued by pharmacologic disruption of the NRG3 receptor, ErbB4. Altogether, our data indicate that nicotine-induced synaptic plasticity in the OFC and cognitive changes depend on NRG3-ErbB4 signaling. We propose that nicotine activation of this pathway may contribute to nicotine addiction, particularly in individuals with genetic variation in NRG3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luyi Zhou
- Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Miranda L Fisher
- Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Robert D Cole
- Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Thomas J Gould
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Vinay Parikh
- Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Pavel I Ortinski
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Jill R Turner
- Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
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Tamaddonfard E, Erfanparast A, Abbas Farshid A, Delkhosh-Kasmaie F. Role of ventrolateral orbital cortex muscarinic and nicotinic receptors in modulation of capsaicin-induced orofacial pain-related behaviors in rats. Eur J Pharmacol 2017; 815:399-404. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2017.09.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2017] [Revised: 09/12/2017] [Accepted: 09/28/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Tarren JR, Lester HA, Belmer A, Bartlett SE. Acute Ethanol Administration Upregulates Synaptic α4-Subunit of Neuronal Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors within the Nucleus Accumbens and Amygdala. Front Mol Neurosci 2017; 10:338. [PMID: 29114204 PMCID: PMC5660714 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2017.00338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2017] [Accepted: 10/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Alcohol and nicotine are two of the most frequently abused drugs, with their comorbidity well described. Previous data show that chronic exposure to nicotine upregulates high-affinity nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in several brain areas. Effects of ethanol on specific brain nAChR subtypes within the mesolimbic dopaminergic (DA) pathway may be a key element in the comorbidity of ethanol and nicotine. However, it is unknown how alcohol affects the abundance of these receptor proteins. In the present study, we measured the effect of acute binge ethanol on nAChR α4 subunit levels in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), nucleus accumbens (NAc), ventral tegmental area (VTA), and amygdala (Amg) by western blot analysis using a knock-in mouse line, generated with a normally functioning α4 nAChR subunit tagged with yellow fluorescent protein (YFP). We observed a robust increase in α4-YFP subunit levels in the NAc and the Amg following acute ethanol, with no changes in the PFC and VTA. To further investigate whether this upregulation was mediated by increased local mRNA transcription, we quantified mRNA levels of the Chrna4 gene using qRT-PCR. We found no effect of ethanol on α4 mRNA expression, suggesting that the upregulation of α4 protein rather occurs post-translationally. The quantitative counting of YFP immunoreactive puncta further revealed that α4-YFP protein is upregulated in presynaptic boutons of the dopaminergic axons projecting to the shell and the core regions of the NAc as well as to the basolateral amygdala (BLA), but not to the central or lateral Amg. Together, our results demonstrate that a single exposure to binge ethanol upregulates level of synaptic α4∗ nAChRs in dopaminergic inputs to the NAc and BLA. This upregulation could be linked to the functional dysregulation of dopaminergic signalling observed during the development of alcohol dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josephine R Tarren
- Translational Research Institute, Institute for Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Henry A Lester
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, United States
| | - Arnauld Belmer
- Translational Research Institute, Institute for Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Selena E Bartlett
- Translational Research Institute, Institute for Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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Iha HA, Kunisawa N, Shimizu S, Tokudome K, Mukai T, Kinboshi M, Ikeda A, Ito H, Serikawa T, Ohno Y. Nicotine Elicits Convulsive Seizures by Activating Amygdalar Neurons. Front Pharmacol 2017; 8:57. [PMID: 28232801 PMCID: PMC5298991 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2017.00057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2016] [Accepted: 01/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Nicotinic acetylcholine (nACh) receptors are implicated in the pathogenesis of epileptic disorders; however, the mechanisms of nACh receptors in seizure generation remain unknown. Here, we performed behavioral and immunohistochemical studies in mice and rats to clarify the mechanisms underlying nicotine-induced seizures. Treatment of animals with nicotine (1–4 mg/kg, i.p.) produced motor excitement in a dose-dependent manner and elicited convulsive seizures at 3 and 4 mg/kg. The nicotine-induced seizures were abolished by a subtype non-selective nACh antagonist, mecamylamine (MEC). An α7 nACh antagonist, methyllycaconitine, also significantly inhibited nicotine-induced seizures whereas an α4β2 nACh antagonist, dihydro-β-erythroidine, affected only weakly. Topographical analysis of Fos protein expression, a biological marker of neural excitation, revealed that a convulsive dose (4 mg/kg) of nicotine region-specifically activated neurons in the piriform cortex, amygdala, medial habenula, paratenial thalamus, anterior hypothalamus and solitary nucleus among 48 brain regions examined, and this was also suppressed by MEC. In addition, electric lesioning of the amygdala, but not the piriform cortex, medial habenula and thalamus, specifically inhibited nicotine-induced seizures. Furthermore, microinjection of nicotine (100 and 300 μg/side) into the amygdala elicited convulsive seizures in a dose-related manner. The present results suggest that nicotine elicits convulsive seizures by activating amygdalar neurons mainly via α7 nACh receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Higor A Iha
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Osaka University of Pharmaceutical Sciences Osaka, Japan
| | - Naofumi Kunisawa
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Osaka University of Pharmaceutical Sciences Osaka, Japan
| | - Saki Shimizu
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Osaka University of Pharmaceutical Sciences Osaka, Japan
| | - Kentaro Tokudome
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Osaka University of Pharmaceutical Sciences Osaka, Japan
| | - Takahiro Mukai
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Osaka University of Pharmaceutical Sciences Osaka, Japan
| | - Masato Kinboshi
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Osaka University of Pharmaceutical SciencesOsaka, Japan; Department of Epilepsy, Movement Disorders and Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto UniversityKyoto, Japan; Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medicine, Wakayama Medical UniversityWakayama, Japan
| | - Akio Ikeda
- Department of Epilepsy, Movement Disorders and Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University Kyoto, Japan
| | - Hidefumi Ito
- Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medicine, Wakayama Medical University Wakayama, Japan
| | - Tadao Serikawa
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Osaka University of Pharmaceutical Sciences Osaka, Japan
| | - Yukihiro Ohno
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Osaka University of Pharmaceutical Sciences Osaka, Japan
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Khani A, Rainer G. Neural and neurochemical basis of reinforcement-guided decision making. J Neurophysiol 2016; 116:724-41. [PMID: 27226454 DOI: 10.1152/jn.01113.2015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2015] [Accepted: 05/24/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Decision making is an adaptive behavior that takes into account several internal and external input variables and leads to the choice of a course of action over other available and often competing alternatives. While it has been studied in diverse fields ranging from mathematics, economics, ecology, and ethology to psychology and neuroscience, recent cross talk among perspectives from different fields has yielded novel descriptions of decision processes. Reinforcement-guided decision making models are based on economic and reinforcement learning theories, and their focus is on the maximization of acquired benefit over a defined period of time. Studies based on reinforcement-guided decision making have implicated a large network of neural circuits across the brain. This network includes a wide range of cortical (e.g., orbitofrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex) and subcortical (e.g., nucleus accumbens and subthalamic nucleus) brain areas and uses several neurotransmitter systems (e.g., dopaminergic and serotonergic systems) to communicate and process decision-related information. This review discusses distinct as well as overlapping contributions of these networks and neurotransmitter systems to the processing of decision making. We end the review by touching on neural circuitry and neuromodulatory regulation of exploratory decision making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abbas Khani
- Visual Cognition Laboratory, Department of Medicine, University of Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Gregor Rainer
- Visual Cognition Laboratory, Department of Medicine, University of Fribourg, Switzerland
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Abela AR, Duan Y, Chudasama Y. Hippocampal interplay with the nucleus accumbens is critical for decisions about time. Eur J Neurosci 2015; 42:2224-33. [PMID: 26121594 PMCID: PMC5233438 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.13009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2015] [Revised: 06/02/2015] [Accepted: 06/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Human cognition depends upon the capacity to make decisions in the present that bear upon outcomes in the future. The nucleus accumbens, a recipient of direct projections from both the hippocampus and orbitofrontal cortex, is known to contribute to these aspects of decision-making. Here we demonstrate that interaction of the nucleus accumbens with the hippocampus, but not the orbitofrontal cortex, is critical in shaping decisions that involve time trade-offs. Compared with controls, rats with a disrupted hippocampal-accumbens interaction were strongly biased toward choosing stimuli that led to small and immediate food rewards over large and delayed ones. We show that this pattern of behavior cannot be ascribed to the impaired representation of stimulus value, the incapacity to wait, or a general disruption of decision-making. These results identify a hippocampal-accumbens circuit that may underlie a range of problems in which daily decisions are marked by a shift toward immediate gratification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew R Abela
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3A 1B1, Canada
| | - Yiran Duan
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3A 1B1, Canada
| | - Yogita Chudasama
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3A 1B1, Canada
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The role of nicotinic acetylcholine and opioid systems of the ventral orbital cortex in modulation of formalin-induced orofacial pain in rats. Eur J Pharmacol 2015; 758:147-52. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2015.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2014] [Revised: 03/30/2015] [Accepted: 04/02/2015] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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Bali ZK, Inkeller J, Csurgyók R, Bruszt N, Horváth H, Hernádi I. Differential effects of α7 nicotinic receptor agonist PHA-543613 on spatial memory performance of rats in two distinct pharmacological dementia models. Behav Brain Res 2015; 278:404-10. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2014.10.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2014] [Revised: 10/16/2014] [Accepted: 10/20/2014] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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Silveira MM, Malcolm E, Shoaib M, Winstanley CA. Scopolamine and amphetamine produce similar decision-making deficits on a rat gambling task via independent pathways. Behav Brain Res 2014; 281:86-95. [PMID: 25529186 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2014.12.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2014] [Revised: 12/09/2014] [Accepted: 12/11/2014] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Disorders characterized by disturbed cholinergic signaling, such as schizophrenia, exhibit impaired performance on measures of real-world cost/benefit decision-making. Whether the cholinergic system contributes to the choice deficits observed is currently unknown. We therefore determined the effects of broad-acting agonists and antagonists at the nicotinic and muscarinic receptor on decision making, as measured by the rodent gambling task (rGT). Given the anatomical and functional connectivity of the cholinergic and dopaminergic systems, we also sought to modulate amphetamine's previously reported effect on rGT performance via the cholinergic system. Male rats were trained on the rGT, during which animals chose from four different options. The optimal strategy on the rGT is to favor options associated with smaller immediate rewards and less punishment/loss. Impulsive action was also measured by recording the number of premature responses made. Performance on the rGT was assessed following acute treatment with the muscarinic receptor agonist oxotremorine, the muscarinic receptor antagonist scopolamine, nicotine, and the nicotinic receptor antagonist mecamylamine. Similar to the effect produced by amphetamine, muscarinic receptor antagonism with scopolamine (0.1mg/kg) impaired decision making, albeit to a lesser degree. Prior muscarinic agonism with oxotremorine was unable to attenuate amphetamine's effects on rGT performance. Oxotremorine, nicotine, and mecamylamine did not affect the choice profile. We therefore conclude that modulation of the muscarinic, but not nicotinic, receptor system can affect decision making under conditions of risk and uncertainty. Such findings contribute to a broader understanding of the cognitive deficits observed in disorders in which cholinergic signaling is compromised.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mason M Silveira
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
| | - Emma Malcolm
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Mohammed Shoaib
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
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Nicotine increases impulsivity and decreases willingness to exert cognitive effort despite improving attention in "slacker" rats: insights into cholinergic regulation of cost/benefit decision making. PLoS One 2014; 9:e111580. [PMID: 25353339 PMCID: PMC4213040 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0111580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2014] [Accepted: 10/06/2014] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Successful decision making in our daily lives requires weighing an option’s costs against its associated benefits. The neuromodulator acetylcholine underlies both the etiology and treatment of a number of illnesses in which decision making is perturbed, including Alzheimer’s disease, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and schizophrenia. Nicotine acts on the cholinergic system and has been touted as a cognitive enhancer by both smokers and some researchers for its attention-boosting effects; however, it is unclear whether treatments that have a beneficial effect on attention would also have a beneficial effect on decision making. Here we utilize the rodent Cognitive Effort Task (rCET), wherein animals can choose to allocate greater visuospatial attention for a greater reward, to examine cholinergic contributions to both attentional performance and choice based on attentional demand. Following the establishment of baseline behavior, four drug challenges were administered: nicotine, mecamylamine, scopolamine, and oxotremorine (saline plus three doses for each). As per previous rCET studies, animals were divided by their baseline preferences, with “worker” rats choosing high-effort/high-reward options more than their “slacker” counterparts. Nicotine caused slackers to choose even fewer high-effort trials than at baseline, but had no effect on workers’ choice. Despite slackers’ decreased willingness to expend effort, nicotine improved their attentional performance on the task. Nicotine also increased measures of motor impulsivity in all animals. In contrast, scopolamine decreased animals’ choice of high-effort trials, especially for workers, while oxotremorine decreased motor impulsivity for all animals. In sum, the cholinergic system appears to contribute to decision making, and in part these contributions can be understood as a function of individual differences. While nicotine has been considered as a cognitive enhancer, these data suggest that its modest benefits to attention may be coupled with impulsiveness and decreased willingness to work hard, especially in individuals who are particularly sensitive to effort costs (i.e. slackers).
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