Chronic nicotine improves short-term memory selectively in a G72 mouse model of schizophrenia.

ABSTRACT:

Background and purpose

The prevalence of smoking in schizophrenia patients is exceptionally high; it is not known why but many researchers suggest that smoking constitutes a form of self-medication. Among the symptoms of schizophrenia that may be improved by nicotine are cognitive deficits. Hence, we studied the effects of long-term nicotine administration on cognition in a genetic animal model of schizophrenia susceptibility, G72-transgenic (G72Tg) mice.

Experimental approach

The effect of long-term nicotine or saline, administered by osmotic minipumps, on different cognitive domains was assessed in G72Tg mice and controls using a battery of behavioural tests. To investigate the mechanism underlying phenotypic differences, quantitative autoradiographic mapping of nACh recep

SUBMITTER: Hambsch B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3966754 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature