Skip to main content
Log in

Is the dopaminergic system involved in the central effects of nicotine in mice?

  • Rapid Communications
  • Published:
Psychopharmacology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Pretreatment with ineffective doses of the D1 antagonist SCH23390 but not the D2 antagonist sulpiride reduced hyperactivity induced by nicotine in mice habituated to the test cage. On the other hand, the D1 and D2 antagonists were ineffective in blocking nicotine-induced hypoactivity in naive mice. Finally, SCH23390 and sulpiride did not block the antinociception induced by nicotine. Our data indicate that the dopamine receptors D1 and D2 are not involved in all the central effects of nicotine in mice, but seems to be a substrate for locomotor activation induced by nicotine under specific experimental conditions.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Balfour DJK (1982) The effects of nicotine on neurotransmitter system. Pharmacol Ther 16:269–282

    Google Scholar 

  • Cabib S, Castellano C, Cestari V, Filibeck U, Allegra SP (1991) D1 and D2 receptor antagonists differently affect cocaine-induced locomotor hyperactivity in the mouse. Psychopharmacology 105:335–339

    Google Scholar 

  • Clarke PBS (1990) Dopaminergic mechanisms in the locomotor stimulant effects of nicotine. Biochem Pharmacol 40:1427–1432

    Google Scholar 

  • Clarke PBS, Pert A (1985) Autoradiographic evidence for nicotine receptors on nigrostriatal and mesolimbic dopaminergic neurons. Brain Res 348:355–358

    Google Scholar 

  • Clarke PBS, Kumar R (1983) The effects of nicotine on locomotor activity in non-tolerant and tolerant rats. Br J Pharmacol 78:329–337

    Google Scholar 

  • Corrigall WA, Coen KM (1991) Selective dopamine antagonists reduce nicotine self-administration. Psychopharmacology 104:171–176

    Google Scholar 

  • D'Amour FE, Smith DL (1941) A method for determining loss of pain sensation. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 72:74–79

    Google Scholar 

  • Dewey WL, Harris LS, Howes JF, Nuite JA (1970) The effect of various neurohormonal modulations on the activity of morphine and the narcotic antagonists in tail-flick and phenylquinone test. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 175:435–442

    Google Scholar 

  • Girault JA, Spampinato U, Savak HE, Glowinski J, Besson MJ (1986) In vivo release of [3H] Gama-aminobutyric acid in the rat striatum-I. Characterization and topographical heterogeneity of the effects of dopaminergic and cholinergic drugs. Neuroscience 19:1101–1108

    Google Scholar 

  • Imperato A, Mulas D, Dichiara G (1986) Nicotine preferentially stimulates dopamine in the limbic system of freely moving rats. Eur J Pharmacol 132:337–338

    Google Scholar 

  • Kita T, Okamoto M, Nakashima T (1992) Nicotine-induced sensitization to ambulatory stimulant effect produced by daily administration into ventral tegmental area and the nucleus accumbens in rats. Life Sci 50:583–590

    Google Scholar 

  • Martin TJ, Suchocki J, May EL, Martin BR (1990) Pharmacological evaluation of the antagonism of nicotine's central effects by mecamylamine and pempidine. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 254:45–51

    Google Scholar 

  • Morrison CF, Armitage AK (1967) Effects of nicotine upon the free operant behavior of rats and spontaneous activity of mice. Ann NY Acad Sci 142:268–276

    Google Scholar 

  • Museo E, Wise RA (1990) Microinjections of nicotine agonists into dopamine terminal fields: effects on locomotion. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 37:113–116

    Google Scholar 

  • O'Neill MF, Dourish CT, Iversen SD (1991) Evidence for an involvement of D1 and D2 dopamine receptors in mediating nicotine-induced hyperactivity in rats. Psychopharmacology 104:343–350

    Google Scholar 

  • Phan DV, Doda M, Bite A, Gyorgy L (1973) Antinoceptive activity of nicotine. Acta Physiol Acad Sci Hung 44:85–93

    Google Scholar 

  • Pycock CJ, Horton RW (1979) Dopamine-dependent hyperactivity in the rat following manipulation of GABA mechanisms in the region of the nucleus accumbens. J Neurol Transm 45:17–33

    Google Scholar 

  • Rapier C, Lunt GG, Wonnacott S (1988) Stereoselective nicotinic-induced release of dopamine from striatal synaptosomes: concentration dependence and repetitive stimulation. J Neurochem 50:1123–1130

    Google Scholar 

  • Robbins TW (1977) A critique of methods available for the measurement of spontaneous motor activity. In: Iversen LL, Iversen SD, Snyder SH (eds) Handbook of psychopharmacology, vol 7. Plenum Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Stolerman IP, Fink R, Jarvik ME (1973) Acute and chronic tolerance to nicotine measured by activity in rats. Psychopharmacologia 30:329–342

    Google Scholar 

  • Tripathi HL, Martin BR, Aceto MD (1982) Nicotine-induced antinociception in rats and mice: correlation with nicotine brain levels. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 221:91–96

    Google Scholar 

  • Waddington JL, O'Boyle KM (1989) Drugs acting on brain dopamine receptors: a conceptual re-evaluation five years after the first selective D1 antagonist. Pharmacol Ther 43:1–52

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Damaj, M.I., Martin, B.R. Is the dopaminergic system involved in the central effects of nicotine in mice?. Psychopharmacology 111, 106–108 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02257415

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02257415

Key words

Navigation