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Kim B, Im HI. Behavioral characterization of early nicotine withdrawal in the mouse: a potential model of acute dependence. BEHAVIORAL AND BRAIN FUNCTIONS : BBF 2024; 20:1. [PMID: 38218838 PMCID: PMC10788015 DOI: 10.1186/s12993-024-00227-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Clinical and preclinical research have demonstrated that short-term exposure to nicotine during the initial experimentation stage can lead to early manifestation of withdrawal-like signs, indicating the state of "acute dependence". As drug withdrawal is a major factor driving the progression toward regular drug intake, characterizing and understanding the features of early nicotine withdrawal may be important for the prevention and treatment of drug addiction. In this study, we corroborate the previous studies by showing that withdrawal-like signs can be precipitated after short-term nicotine exposure in mice, providing a potential animal model of acute dependence on nicotine. RESULTS To model nicotine exposure from light tobacco use during the initial experimentation stage, mice were treated with 0.5 mg/kg (-)-nicotine ditartrate once daily for 3 days. On the following day, the behavioral tests were conducted after implementing spontaneous or mecamylamine-precipitated withdrawal. In the open field test, precipitated nicotine withdrawal reduced locomotor activity and time spent in the center zone. In the elevated plus maze test, the mecamylamine challenge increased the time spent in the closed arm and reduced the number of entries irrespective of nicotine experience. In the examination of the somatic aspect, precipitated nicotine withdrawal enhanced the number of somatic signs. Finally, nicotine withdrawal did not affect cognitive functioning or social behavior in the passive avoidance, spatial object recognition, or social interaction test. CONCLUSIONS Collectively, our data demonstrate that early nicotine withdrawal-like signs could be precipitated by the nicotinic antagonist mecamylamine in mice, and that early withdrawal from nicotine primarily causes physical symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baeksun Kim
- Center for Brain Function, Brain Science Institute (BSI), Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Hwarang-ro 14-gil 5, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Heh-In Im
- Center for Brain Function, Brain Science Institute (BSI), Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Hwarang-ro 14-gil 5, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea.
- Division of Bio-Medical Science & Technology, KIST School, Korea University of Science and Technology (UST), Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea.
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Martínez M, Espinoza VE, Garcia V, Uribe KP, Negishi K, Estevao IL, Carcoba LM, O'Dell LE, Khan AM, Mendez IA. Withdrawal from repeated nicotine vapor exposure increases somatic signs of physical dependence, anxiety-like behavior, and brain reward thresholds in adult male rats. Neuropharmacology 2023; 240:109681. [PMID: 37611823 PMCID: PMC11253717 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
Nicotine vapor consumption via electronic nicotine delivery systems has increased over the last decade. While prior work has shed light on the health effects of nicotine vapor inhalation, its unique effects on the brain and behavior have not been thoroughly explored. In this study we assessed markers of withdrawal following 14 days of nicotine vapor exposure. For Experiment 1, 21 adult male rats were exposed to ambient air or 6, 12, or 24 mg/mL nicotine vapor for 14 consecutive days. Following exposure on day 14, rats were injected with the nicotinic receptor antagonist mecamylamine (3.0 mg/mL) and assessed for somatic withdrawal signs and anxiety-like behavior in the elevated plus maze. For Experiment 2, 12 adult male rats were tested for intracranial self-stimulation (ICSS) immediately following exposure to vehicle vapor (50%/50%, vegetable glycerin/propylene glycol) or 24 mg/mL nicotine vapor, for 14 consecutive days. ICSS behavior was assessed for an additional 14 days, following cessation of repeated vapor exposure. Results reveal that rats with repeated nicotine vapor exposure display an increase in behavioral indicators of withdrawal following injection of mecamylamine (precipitated withdrawal). Additionally, increases in ICSS stimulation thresholds, indicative of reduced brain reward sensitivity, persist following cessation of repeated nicotine vapor exposure (spontaneous withdrawal). These data suggest that repeated e-cigarette use leads to nicotine dependence and withdrawal that affects behavior and brain reward function. Further characterization of the health effects of nicotine vapor is necessary to improve treatment strategies for nicotine use disorder and public health policies related to novel nicotine delivery systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Martínez
- Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, 79968, USA
| | - Veronika E Espinoza
- Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, 79968, USA
| | - Valeria Garcia
- Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, 79968, USA
| | - Kevin P Uribe
- Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, 79968, USA
| | - Kenichiro Negishi
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, 79968, USA
| | - Igor L Estevao
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, 79968, USA
| | - Luis M Carcoba
- Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, 79968, USA
| | - Laura E O'Dell
- Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, 79968, USA; Interdisciplinary Group for Neuroscience Investigation, Training and Education (IGNITE), The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, 79968, USA
| | - Arshad M Khan
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, 79968, USA; Interdisciplinary Group for Neuroscience Investigation, Training and Education (IGNITE), The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, 79968, USA
| | - Ian A Mendez
- School of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, 79968, USA; Interdisciplinary Group for Neuroscience Investigation, Training and Education (IGNITE), The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, 79968, USA.
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Harris AC. Further pharmacological characterization of a preclinical model of the early development of nicotine withdrawal. Drug Alcohol Depend 2021; 226:108870. [PMID: 34216863 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2021.108870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Revised: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Establishing preclinical models of the development of nicotine withdrawal following acute nicotine exposure could inform tobacco addiction-related research, treatment, and policy. To this end, this lab has previously reported that rats exhibit withdrawal-like elevations in intracranial self-stimulation (ICSS) thresholds (anhedonia-like behavior) following acute nicotine exposure. The goal of this study was to provide further pharmacological characterization of ICSS as a measure of spontaneous and antagonist-precipitated withdrawal from acute nicotine. METHODS AND RESULTS Rats exhibited a small increase in ICSS thresholds over time following a single nicotine injection (1.0 mg/kg, s.c.), suggesting a modest spontaneous withdrawal effect (Experiment 1). In Experiment 2, the antidepressant bupropion (5.0 mg/kg, i.p.), which is used to treat tobacco addiction and attenuates nicotine withdrawal in both humans and rodents, blocked elevations in ICSS thresholds induced by a single injection of nicotine (0.5 mg/kg, s.c.) followed ≈ 2 h later by the non-selective, non-competitive nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) antagonist mecamylamine (3.0 mg/kg, s.c.). In Experiment 3a, s.c. administration of the competitive, relatively selective α4ß2 nAChR antagonist dihydro-beta-erythroidine (DHßE) (5.6 mg/kg, but not 3.0 mg/kg) following each of 5 daily injections of nicotine (0.5 mg/kg, s.c.) elevated ICSS thresholds. Mecamylamine (3.0 mg/kg, s.c.) also elevated ICSS thresholds when administered following all 5 daily nicotine injections (0.5 mg/kg, s.c., Experiment 3b). CONCLUSIONS These findings provide further characterization of elevations in ICSS thresholds as a measure of withdrawal from acute nicotine exposure. Further use of these models may be useful for understanding the early development of nicotine withdrawal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew C Harris
- Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute, 701 Park Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55415, United States; Departments of Medicine and Psychology, University of Minnesota Minneapolis, MN, United States.
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Harris AC. Magnitude of open-field thigmotaxis during mecamylamine-precipitated nicotine withdrawal in rats is influenced by mecamylamine dose, duration of nicotine infusion, number of withdrawal episodes, and age. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2021; 205:173185. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2021.173185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Revised: 03/28/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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