Adolescent Rats Self-Administer Less Nicotine Than Adults at Low Doses.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Although nearly 90% of current smokers initiated tobacco use during adolescence, little is known about reinforcement by nicotine in adolescents. Researchers are currently investigating whether a potential public health policy setting a tobacco product standard with very low nicotine levels would improve public health, and it is essential to understand whether data generated in adults translates to adolescents, particularly as it relates to the threshold dose of nicotine required to support smoking. The present study compared self-administration of low doses of nicotine between adolescent and adult rats.

Methods

Adolescent (postnatal day [P] 30) and adult (P90) male and female rats were allowed to nosepoke to receive intravenous infusions of nicotine (3-100 μg/kg

SUBMITTER: Schassburger RL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4978976 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature