Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Stimulants01:29

Stimulants

Stimulants are substances that enhance neural activity and elevate dopamine levels in the brain, leading to their highly addictive nature. These drugs include cocaine, amphetamines, MDMA, caffeine, and nicotine, each with distinct mechanisms of action and varied health implications.
Cocaine can be administered via snorting, injection, or smoking. It primarily functions by blocking the reuptake of dopamine, resulting in a euphoric high characterized by an intense sensation of happiness and...
Adrenergic Agonists: Indirect-Acting Agents01:25

Adrenergic Agonists: Indirect-Acting Agents

Indirect-acting adrenergic agonists potentiate the effects of endogenous catecholamines through different mechanisms without directly binding to adrenoceptors.
One mechanism involves depleting stored catecholamines by displacing them from synaptic vesicles. These agents, known as "displacers," are transported into vesicles at the expense of noradrenaline. Examples include amphetamine and tyramine, which lack a catechol moiety, resulting in prolonged action, improved oral bioavailability, and...
Drugs Acting on Autonomic Ganglia: Stimulants01:23

Drugs Acting on Autonomic Ganglia: Stimulants


Ganglionic stimulants activate NM nicotinic receptors in autonomic ganglia, falling into two categories: nicotine mimetics [e.g., lobeline, dimethylpiperazine, tetramethylammonium] and muscarinic receptor agonists [e.g., muscarine, methacholine]. The first category's action is rapid and blocked by nicotinic receptor antagonists, while the second category's action is delayed and blocked by atropine-like agents. Nicotine, an alkaloid, affects the heart rate by stimulating sympathetic or...
CNS Depressants: Alcohol and Nicotine01:27

CNS Depressants: Alcohol and Nicotine

Ethanol, a clear colorless alcohol, has been consumed by humans for millennia, but its effects on the body are far from benign. At lower doses, it induces decreased inhibitions and loquaciousness, leading to its social appeal. However, it can cause severe consequences at higher doses, such as coma and respiratory depression, due to its zero-order elimination kinetics. Chronic ethanol abuse wreaks havoc on multiple organ systems, particularly the CNS and the liver. Abrupt cessation of ethanol...
CNS Stimulants: Cocaine, Amphetamines and Cannabinoids01:24

CNS Stimulants: Cocaine, Amphetamines and Cannabinoids

CNS stimulants, such as cocaine, amphetamines, and cannabinoids, have varying structures and mechanisms of action that lead to different therapeutic effects and side effects. Cocaine, with its molecular formula C17H21NO4, is a tropane alkaloid and a tertiary amino compound. It has two chemical forms: the hydrochloride salt and the "freebase." The former is in powder form, while the latter involves removing the hydrochloride salt to create a form that can be smoked. Cocaine exerts its effects by...
Drug Abuse and Addiction: Pharmacological Phenomena01:15

Drug Abuse and Addiction: Pharmacological Phenomena

Drug dependence, abuse, and addiction are complex phenomena that can precipitate various abnormal states. Physical dependence refers to a state of pharmacological adaptation to a drug. This adaptation often results in tolerance—a reduced response to the drug after repeated administrations. When the drug use is abruptly stopped, withdrawal symptoms occur due to the body's need to readjust from the pharmacologically induced imbalance. However, tolerance and withdrawal symptoms do not necessarily...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Locomotor and discriminative stimulus effects of N-cyclohexyl butylone and N-cyclohexyl methylone.

Frontiers in pharmacology·2026
Same author

Behavioral pharmacology of novel synthetic indazole, indole, and benzimidazole cannabinoids in rodents.

Journal of cannabis research·2026
Same author

Beyond Amyloid: Rethinking the Foundations of Alzheimer's Disease Pathogenesis and Therapy.

Aging and disease·2025
Same author

Protective effects of SA-31 in a psychostimulant-induced neurotoxicity model using SH-SY5Y cells.

European journal of pharmaceutical sciences : official journal of the European Federation for Pharmaceutical Sciences·2025
Same author

Locomotor stimulant and drug discrimination effects of five synthetic cathinones in rodents.

Pharmacology, biochemistry, and behavior·2025
Same author

Locomotor and discriminative stimulus effects of fluorinated analogs of amphetamine and methamphetamine in mice and rats.

The Journal of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 10, 2026

A General Method for Evaluating Deep Brain Stimulation Effects on Intravenous Methamphetamine Self-Administration
09:16

A General Method for Evaluating Deep Brain Stimulation Effects on Intravenous Methamphetamine Self-Administration

Published on: January 22, 2016

Nicotine and methamphetamine share discriminative stimulus effects.

Michael B Gatch1, Elva Flores, Michael J Forster

  • 1Department of Pharmacology & Neuroscience, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX 76107-2699, USA. mgatch@hsc.unt.edu

Drug and Alcohol Dependence
|October 27, 2007
PubMed
Summary

Nicotine and methamphetamine produce similar effects, suggesting they may be interchangeable for users. Their interaction is indirect, involving separate but interacting pathways in the brain.

More Related Videos

Creating Dynamic Images of Short-lived Dopamine Fluctuations with lp-ntPET: Dopamine Movies of Cigarette Smoking
14:21

Creating Dynamic Images of Short-lived Dopamine Fluctuations with lp-ntPET: Dopamine Movies of Cigarette Smoking

Published on: August 6, 2013

Assessment of Cocaine-induced Behavioral Sensitization and Conditioned Place Preference in Mice
10:28

Assessment of Cocaine-induced Behavioral Sensitization and Conditioned Place Preference in Mice

Published on: February 18, 2016

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 10, 2026

A General Method for Evaluating Deep Brain Stimulation Effects on Intravenous Methamphetamine Self-Administration
09:16

A General Method for Evaluating Deep Brain Stimulation Effects on Intravenous Methamphetamine Self-Administration

Published on: January 22, 2016

Creating Dynamic Images of Short-lived Dopamine Fluctuations with lp-ntPET: Dopamine Movies of Cigarette Smoking
14:21

Creating Dynamic Images of Short-lived Dopamine Fluctuations with lp-ntPET: Dopamine Movies of Cigarette Smoking

Published on: August 6, 2013

Assessment of Cocaine-induced Behavioral Sensitization and Conditioned Place Preference in Mice
10:28

Assessment of Cocaine-induced Behavioral Sensitization and Conditioned Place Preference in Mice

Published on: February 18, 2016

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Pharmacology
  • Addiction Research

Background:

  • Nicotine and methamphetamine are frequently co-abused.
  • Interactions between nicotinic acetylcholine and dopamine receptors are known.
  • Understanding the in vivo interaction of nicotine and methamphetamine is of interest.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize shared discriminative stimulus effects of nicotine and methamphetamine.
  • To identify the pharmacological mechanisms underlying their interaction.

Main Methods:

  • Rats were trained to discriminate methamphetamine or nicotine from saline.
  • Cross-substitution effects between methamphetamine and nicotine were tested.
  • Dopamine (haloperidol) and nicotinic (mecamylamine) antagonists were used to block stimulus effects.

Main Results:

  • Nicotine fully substituted for methamphetamine; methamphetamine partially substituted for nicotine.
  • Mecamylamine blocked nicotine's effects, while haloperidol blocked methamphetamine's effects.
  • Interactions were indirect, with antagonists showing specific blocking effects based on the training drug.

Conclusions:

  • Nicotine and methamphetamine share some discriminative stimulus effects, acting indirectly.
  • These findings suggest potential interchangeability in human users.
  • Pharmacological interactions may explain co-administration patterns.