Chronic nicotine intake decelerates aging of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons.
We have evaluated the effect of chronic nicotine intake on the age-associated loss of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons. The striatal density of dopamine (D1 and D2) receptors and DA-uptake sites decreased with age. Concomitant with these changes was a pronounced loss of many behavioral functions associated, at least in part, with dopaminergic neurotransmission. Chronic oral intake of nicotine resulted in partial restoration of the loss of receptors as well as behavioral performances. The results suggest that low doses of nicotine could have beneficial effects during aging.
Prasad
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Department of Medicine, Louisiana State University Medical Center, New Orleans 70112.
Ikegami
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Shimizu
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Onaivi
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D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001058:Apomorphine / Q000494:pharmacology; D001552:Benzazepines / Q000378:metabolism; D001665:Binding Sites; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D016922:Cellular Senescence / Q000187:drug effects; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D004294:Domperidone / Q000378:metabolism; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008454:Mazindol / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D009538:Nicotine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D017447:Receptors, Dopamine D1 / Q000378:metabolism; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2 / Q000378:metabolism; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism
D001552:Benzazepines; D017447:Receptors, Dopamine D1; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2; D004294:Domperidone; D009538:Nicotine; D008454:Mazindol; D001058:Apomorphine; D004298:Dopamine