Nicotine increases FosB expression within a subset of reward- and memory-related brain regions during both peri- and post-adolescence.

Full Abstract

INTRODUCTION:
Periadolescent nicotine exposure is associated with increased consumption and rewarding properties of abused drugs. In the case of peri- but not post-adolescent animals, these effects are persistent and last to adulthood, suggesting that early nicotine treatment may alter postnatal CNS development in ways that contribute to long-term problems with drug abuse.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:
To begin to identify brain regions that may be altered by developmental nicotine exposure, we have measured expression of a transcription factor, FosB, within a series of reward- and memory-related brain regions of Sprague-Dawley rats.

RESULTS:
FosB expression is known to acutely and cumulatively increase within a subset of brain regions, particularly nucleus accumbens, after exposure to many classes of abused drugs. Our results demonstrate that FosB is increased within nucleus accumbens and also the granule cell layer of hippocampal dentate gyrus after both peri- and post-adolescent nicotine exposure (0.4 mg kg(-1) day(-1) from days 34 to 43 and 60 to 69, respectively). In periadolescents, expression increases were detected 2 days after nicotine exposure, and persisted for weeks, through at least early adulthood at 80 days of age. In post-adolescents, expression increases persisted for at least 11 days to postnatal day 80.

DISCUSSION:
These findings demonstrate that nicotine treatment during both peri- and post-adolescence persistently alters activity of brain regions involved in reward and memory.

CONCLUSION:
Because this altered gene expression occurs after both peri- and post-adolescent treatment, it cannot be directly responsible for increased consumption and rewarding properties of abused drugs previously established to be distinctly associated with periadolescent nicotine exposure.

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Author information

Author/s: Soderstrom, Ken (K); Qin, Weixi (W); Williams, Helen (H); Taylor, David A (DA); McMillen, Brian A (BA);

Affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27834, USA. soderstromk(-atsign-)ecu.edu

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Comparative Study; Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Psychopharmacology (Psychopharmacology (Berl)), published in Germany. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2007-May; vol 191 (issue 4) : pp 891-7

Dates: Created 2007/03/09; Completed 2007/05/31;

PMID: 17333132, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Age Factors
Animals
Brain - drug effects; metabolism
Dentate Gyrus - drug effects; metabolism
Memory - drug effects
Nicotine - pharmacology
Nicotinic Agonists - pharmacology
Nucleus Accumbens - drug effects; metabolism

Nucleus Accumbens - drug effects; metabolism
Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos - biosynthesis
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Reward
Time Factors
Tobacco Use Disorder - metabolism; psychology
Up-Regulation

Associated Chemicals: Fosb protein, rat (0) ; Nicotinic Agonists (0) ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos (0) ; Nicotine (54-11-5)

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