Tobacco smoke exposure enhances reward sensitivity in male and female rats.

ABSTRACT:

Rationale

Systemic administration of the tobacco smoke constituent nicotine stimulates brain reward function in rats. However, it is unknown if the inhalation of tobacco smoke affects brain reward function.

Objectives

These experiments investigated if exposure to smoke from high-nicotine SPECTRUM research cigarettes increases reward function and affects the rewarding effects of nicotine in adult male and female Wistar rats.

Methods

Reward function after smoke or nicotine exposure was investigated using the intracranial self-stimulation (ICSS) procedure. A decrease in reward thresholds reflects an increase in reward function. In the first experiment, the rats were exposed to tobacco smoke for 40 min/day for 9 days, and the rewarding effects of nicotine (0.03-0.6 mg/kg)

SUBMITTER: Chellian R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7914215 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature