Effects of nicotine and RO 60-0175 on the firing pattern of SNc and VTA dopaminergic neurons of rats treated repeatedly with nicotine for 10 days Data represent the mean (±S.E.M.) difference (Δ) between the percentage of spikes occurring in bursts during the baseline period from the percentage occurring in bursts after drug administration. The number of animals varied from five to nine for each experimental group.
SNc | VTA | |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle + saline | 0.30 ± 2.40 | 4.02 ± 4.11 |
| Vehicle + nicotine | 1.78 ± 1.43 | 23.33 ± 6.56* |
| RO 60-0175 100 μg/kg + saline | 6.60 ± 2.68 | -2.83 ± 2.82 |
| RO 60-0175 100 μg/kg + nicotine | 13.76 ± 8.35 | 2.92 ± 2.41 |
| RO 60-0175 300 μg/kg + saline | 0.26 ± 1.79 | |
| RO 60-0175 300 μg/kg + nicotine |
| 0.63 ± 1.79 |
↵* p < 0.05 compared with vehicle + saline group (Mann-Whitney U test)