Behavioral desensitization to nicotine is enhanced differentially by ethanol in long-sleep and short-sleep mice.
In order to assess the anticonvulsant potency of ethanol, male and female long-sleep (LS) and short-sleep (SS) mice were pretreated with ethanol 7.5 min prior to challenge with an ED80 dose of nicotine (LS: 4.25 mg/kg; SS: 6.25 mg/kg). LS mice were more sensitive to the anticonvulsant effects of ethanol than were SS mice. In order to assess the effect of ethanol on the nicotine-induced behavioral desensitization to nicotine observed previously in these mice, animals were pretreated with saline, nonanticonvulsant doses of ethanol (0.25 g/kg, 0.75 g/kg or 1.5 g/kg), a subseizure-producing dose of nicotine (2.0 mg/kg) or a combination of these two drugs 15 or 30 min prior to nicotine challenge. Ethanol enhanced the nicotine-induced behavioral desensitization in both mouse lines; however, this effect was seen at lower ethanol doses and was more pronounced in LS mice. Ethanol pretreatment did not affect brain nicotine concentrations; therefore, the ethanol effect probably involves changes in brain sensitivity to nicotine.
de Fiebre
C M
CM
Institute for Behavioral Genetics and School of Pharmacy, University of Colorado, Boulder 80309.
Collins
A C
AC
D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009538:Nicotine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012640:Seizures / Q000139:chemically induced; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology*
D000431:Ethanol; D009538:Nicotine