title: Strain-dependent effects of acute, chronic, and withdrawal from chronic nicotine on fear conditioning.
abstract: The effects of nicotine on cognitive processes such as learning and memory may play an important role in the addictive liability of tobacco. However, it remains unknown whether genetic variability modulates the effects of nicotine on learning and memory. The present study characterized the effects of acute, chronic, and withdrawal from chronic nicotine administration on fear conditioning, somatic signs, and the elevated plus maze in 8 strains of inbred mice. Strain-dependent effects of acute nicotine and nicotine withdrawal on contextual fear conditioning, somatic signs, and the elevated plus maze were observed, but no association between the effects of acute nicotine and nicotine withdrawal on contextual fear conditioning were observed, suggesting that different genetic substrates may mediate these effects. The identification of genetic factors that may alter the effects of nicotine on cognition may lead to more efficacious treatments for nicotine addiction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Weiss Hall, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA.
authors.forename: George S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Portugal
authors.forename: Derek S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Wilkinson
authors.forename: Justin W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Kenney
authors.forename: Colleen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sullivan
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Gould
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001007:Anxiety / Q000235:genetics; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000235:genetics; D003071:Cognition; D003214:Conditioning, Classical / Q000187:drug effects; D005239:Fear; D014644:Genetic Variation; D007858:Learning; D008568:Memory; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009538:Nicotine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000523:psychology; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D018722:Nicotinic Agonists; D009538:Nicotine