ArticlePsychopharmacology2012
Alpha7-nicotinic receptors modulate nicotine-induced reinforcement and extracellular dopamine outflow in the mesolimbic system in mice.
Article in Psychopharmacology, 2012. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 35 papers.
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Who cites it
35 citing papers in PubMed, 56 citations in OpenAlex.
- Dopamine D3 receptor blockade restores hippocampal synaptic plasticity and rescues memory deficits in Alzheimer's disease mouse models.Frontiers in aging neuroscience · 2026Article
- Restoration of MPTP-induced Dopamine and Tyrosine Hydroxylase Depletion in the Mouse Brain Through Ethanol and Nicotine.Neurotoxicity research · 2025Article
- Behavioral and neuronal extracellular vesicle biomarkers associated with nicotine's enhancement of the reinforcing strength of cocaine in female and male monkeys.Addiction neuroscience · 2024Article
- Investigating the role of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in menthol's effects in mice.Drug and alcohol dependence · 2024Article
- Nicotinic α7 receptors on cholinergic neurons in the striatum mediate cocaine-reinforcement, but not food reward.Frontiers in molecular neuroscience · 2024Article
- Impact of the gut microbiome on nicotine's motivational effects and glial cells in the ventral tegmental area in male mice.Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology · 2023Article
- The importance of translationally evaluating steroid hormone contributions to substance use.Frontiers in neuroendocrinology · 2023Review
- Article
- Genotypic Differences in the Effects of Menthol on Nicotine Intake and Preference in Mice.Frontiers in neuroscience · 2022Article
- Mechanisms Underlying Dopaminergic Regulation of Nicotine-Induced Kinetic Tremor.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2022Article
- Distracting stimuli evoke ventral tegmental area responses in rats during ongoing saccharin consumption.The European journal of neuroscience · 2021Article
- Neuroimmune Mechanisms as Novel Treatment Targets for Substance Use Disorders and Associated Comorbidities.Frontiers in neuroscience · 2021Review
- Nicotinic Receptors Underlying Nicotine Dependence: Evidence from Transgenic Mouse Models.Current topics in behavioral neurosciences · 2020Article
- Inhibition of alpha7 nicotinic receptors in the ventral hippocampus selectively attenuates reinstatement of morphine-conditioned place preference and associated changes in AMPA receptor binding.Addiction biology · 2019Article
- Genetic correlations between nicotine reinforcement-related behaviors and propensity toward high or low alcohol preference in two replicate mouse lines.Genes, brain, and behavior · 2019Article
- Targeting theJournal of addiction research & therapy · 2019Article
- Nicotine Elicits Convulsive Seizures by Activating Amygdalar Neurons.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2017Article
- A threshold model for opposing actions of acetylcholine on reward behavior: Molecular mechanisms and implications for treatment of substance abuse disorders.Behavioural brain research · 2016Review
- Modulatory effects of α7 nAChRs on the immune system and its relevance for CNS disorders.Cellular and molecular life sciences : CMLS · 2016Review
- Crucial roles of the CHRNB3-CHRNA6 gene cluster on chromosome 8 in nicotine dependence: update and subjects for future research.Translational psychiatry · 2016Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
10 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
rationaleNicotine is the main addictive component of tobacco and modifies brain function via its action on neuronal acetylcholine nicotinic receptors (nAChRs). The mesolimbic dopamine (DA) system, where neurons of the ventral tegmental area (VTA) project to the nucleus accumbens (ACb), is considered a core site for the processing of nicotine's reinforcing properties. However, the precise subtypes of nAChRs that mediate the rewarding properties of nicotine and that contribute to the development of addiction remain to be identified.
objectivesWe investigated the role of the nAChRs containing the α7 nicotinic subunit (α7 nAChRs) in the reinforcing properties of nicotine within the VTA and in the nicotine-induced changes in ACb DA outflow in vivo.
methodsWe performed intra-VTA self-administration and microdialysis experiments in genetically modified mice lacking the α7 nicotinic subunit or after pharmacological blockade of α7 nAChRs in wild-type mice.
resultsWe show that the reinforcing properties of nicotine within the VTA are lower in the absence or after pharmacological blockade of α7 nAChRs. We also report that nicotine-induced increases in ACb DA extracellular levels last longer in the absence of these receptors, suggesting that α7 nAChRs regulate the action of nicotine on DA levels over time.
conclusionsThe present results reveal new insights for the role of α7 nAChRs in modulating the action of nicotine within the mesolimbic circuit. These receptors appear to potentiate the reinforcing action of nicotine administered into the VTA while regulating its action over time on DA outflow in the ACb.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.