title: GABA(B) receptors involvement in the effects induced by nicotine on anxiety-related behaviour in mice.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the possible involvement of GABA(B) receptors in the anxiolytic- and anxiogenic-like responses induced by nicotine in mice. Animals were exposed to nicotine only once. The acute administration of low (0.05mg/kg, sc) or high (0.8mg/kg, sc) doses of nicotine produced opposite effects in the elevated plus maze test; respectively, anxiolytic- and anxiogenic-like responses. The effect of pretreatment with either the GABA(B) receptor antagonist 2-OH-saclofen (0.25, 0.5 and 1mg/kg; ip) or the GABA(B) receptor agonist baclofen (0.5, 1 and 2mg/kg; ip), was evaluated on the anxiolytic- and anxiogenic-like responses induced by nicotine. 2-OH-saclofen completely abolished both nicotine-induced effects (p<0.001) at the highest dose tested, suggesting an involvement of GABA(B) receptors in these behavioural responses. On the other hand, baclofen failed to modify the anxiety-related effects of nicotine. These results suggest that the GABA(B) receptors are involved in the regulation of nicotine-induced anxiety-related behavioural responses in mice, and provide new findings to support a potential pharmaco therapeutic use of GABAergic drugs in the treatment of tobacco addiction.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas (CONICET), Junín 956 5° Piso, Buenos Aires C1113AAD, Argentina.
authors.forename: Andrés P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Varani
authors.forename: Graciela N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Balerio
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D001418:Baclofen / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D058786:GABA-B Receptor Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D058788:GABA-B Receptor Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D009538:Nicotine / Q000633:toxicity*; D018080:Receptors, GABA-B / Q000502:physiology*; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D058786:GABA-B Receptor Agonists; D058788:GABA-B Receptor Antagonists; D018080:Receptors, GABA-B; D009538:Nicotine; D001418:Baclofen; C057491:2-hydroxysaclofen