title: Nicotine alters flash-evoked potentials in Long-Evans rats.
abstract: This experiment examined the effects of nicotine on flash-evoked potentials (FEPs) recorded from both the visual cortex (VC) and the superior colliculus (SC) of chronically implanted male Long-Evans rats. FEPs were recorded at 5, 20, 40, and 60 min following subcutaneous injections of saline, and of 0.4, 0.7, and 1.0 mg/kg nicotine on separate days. In the VC, the amplitude of components N(39), N(53), N(67), and P(88) increased, while the amplitude of components N(30) and P(235) decreased following nicotine administration. P(22), P(47), and N(153) were unchanged. In the SC, components P(27), N(48), and N(53) were reduced in amplitude, while P(37) and N(57) were unaffected by nicotine. Many peak latencies in the VC and SC were increased by nicotine, often at all three doses. However, effects of nicotine on FEPs were both dose- and time-dependent. When body temperature was recorded 65 min after drug administration, significant hypothermia was found with both the 0.7- and 1.0-mg/kg nicotine doses. The 1.0-mg/kg dose of nicotine resulted in a significant increase in movement during the recording sessions, but not in subsequent open-field observations. The results demonstrate that nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) play a differential role in the production/modulation of the various components of FEPs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Lawrence University, PO Box 599, Appleton, WI 54912, USA. hetzlerb@lawrence.edu
authors.forename: Bruce E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Hetzler
authors.forename: Maraty
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Theinpeng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D008027:Light; D008297:Male; D009538:Nicotine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D009538:Nicotine