Behavioural sensitization to nicotine precedes the onset of nicotine-conditioned locomotor stimulation.
Context-dependent behavioural sensitization to nicotine develops faster and is more robust than context-independent sensitization. However, some findings suggest that behavioural sensitization develops irrespective of context. In this study an attempt was made to dissociate the development of context-dependent nicotine sensitization from the onset of nicotine-conditioned locomotor stimulation. Seven days of daily nicotine administration (0.6 mg/kg, s.c.) paired with exposure to locomotor activity boxes produced stable and consistent behavioural sensitization, at which time no nicotine-induced conditioned locomotor stimulation could be demonstrated. However, after an additional two days of nicotine treatment, i.e. on day 9, nicotine-conditioned behavioural stimulation was observed. Our findings suggest that behavioural sensitization to nicotine appears to reach a plateau before induction of nicotine-conditioned locomotor stimulation.
Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Division of Drug Dependence Research, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Alexander Robert
AR
Kosowski
Sture
S
Liljequist
D000818:Animals; D001245:Association Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D003214:Conditioning, Classical / Q000187:drug effects*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D006185:Habituation, Psychophysiologic / Q000187:drug effects; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects*; D009538:Nicotine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012931:Social Environment; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000523:psychology
D018722:Nicotinic Agonists; D009538:Nicotine