title: Chronic injections of saline produce subsensitivity to nicotine.
abstract: The routine handling of rats and the injection of saline is a stressor. The authors report that chronic twice daily injections of normal saline (1 ml/kg IP) for 14 days produced subsensitivity to the hypothermic effects of nicotine (1 ml/kg IP). The weekly injection of nicotine (1 mg/kg IP) does not produce this effect. The investigators propose that their findings reflect the effect of chronic stress on a nicotinic mechanism. Lithium, desipramine, fluoxetine, and amitriptyline also alter the thermic response to systemically injected nicotine. A nicotinic mechanism(s) may be involved in the neurobiology of chronic stress, actions of antidepressants, and conceivably the pathophysiology of depression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Ohio State University, Columbus 43210-1228.
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Flemmer
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Dilsaver
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001833:Body Temperature Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D005334:Fever / Q000139:chemically induced; D008297:Male; D009538:Nicotine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D012965:Sodium Chloride; D009538:Nicotine