Effect of long-term cigarette smoke exposure on locomotor activity and brain monoamine levels in rats.
Rats were chronically exposed to cigarette smoke for 20 min twice daily using a smoking machine. On days 1, 4, and 14, locomotor activity and rearing were measured for 15 min in an open-field apparatus. On day 1, exposure to cigarette smoke increased locomotor activity and rearing in the latter half of the observation period. This effect became more pronounced on days 4 and 14. Chronic cigarette smoke exposures for 21 days significantly decreased the norepinephrine levels in the hypothalamus, thalamus, and pons-medulla, but not the levels of dopamine, 5-hydroxytryptamine, or their metabolites. These results suggest that repeated cigarette smoke exposure increasingly stimulates locomotor activity and rearing and affects norepinephrine metabolism, especially in the brainstem.
Suemaru
K
K
Department of Hospital Pharmacy, Okayama University Medical School, Japan.
Oishi
R
R
Gomita
Y
Y
Saeki
K
K
Araki
Y
Y
D000818:Animals; D015306:Biogenic Monoamines / Q000378:metabolism*; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012907:Smoking / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D014018:Tissue Distribution
D015306:Biogenic Monoamines; D009638:Norepinephrine