Varenicline Targets the Reinforcing-Enhancing Effect of Nicotine on Its Associated Salient Cue During Nicotine Self-administration in the Rat.

ABSTRACT: Nicotine is acknowledged as the key addictive compound of tobacco. Varenicline (Champix^® or Chantix^®), mainly acting as a partial agonist at the α4β2 nicotinic receptor, is an approved smoking cessation pharmacotherapy, although with efficacy limited to a portion of smokers. Smokers differ in the motives that drive their drug seeking and Varenicline might be more efficient in some groups more than others. Studies in rodents revealed that nicotine-seeking is strongly supported by complex interactions between nicotine and environmental cues, and notably the ability of nicotine to enhance the reinforcing properties of salient environmental stimuli. It is not yet understood whether the decrease of nicotine-seeking by acute Varenicline in rats results from antagonism of th

SUBMITTER: Garcia-Rivas V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6650579 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature