Early-life nicotine or cotinine exposure produces long-lasting sleep alterations and downregulation of hippocampal corticosteroid receptors in adult mice.

ABSTRACT: Early-life exposure to environmental toxins like tobacco can permanently re-program body structure and function. Here, we investigated the long-term effects on mouse adult sleep phenotype exerted by early-life exposure to nicotine or to its principal metabolite, cotinine. Moreover, we investigated whether these effects occurred together with a reprogramming of the activity of the hippocampus, a key structure to coordinate the hormonal stress response. Adult male mice born from dams subjected to nicotine (NIC), cotinine (COT) or vehicle (CTRL) treatment in drinking water were implanted with electrodes for sleep recordings. NIC and COT mice spent significantly more time awake than CTRL mice at the transition between the rest (light) and the activity (dark) period. NIC and COT mice showed hip

SUBMITTER: Bastianini S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8668915 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature