Serotonin receptors as potential targets for modulation of nicotine use and dependence

Nicotine use carries considerable health risks and plays a major role in a variety of diseases. Current pharmacological treatments to aid in smoking cessation include nicotine-replacement therapy and non-nicotinic strategies such as bupropion and varenicline. While these treatments benefit some individuals there is still a need for better and more effective treatment strategies. Nicotine is the major psychoactive substance in tobacco. Some behavioural effects of nicotine, including its reinforcing efficacy result in part from activation of mesolimbic dopamine neurons. Modulation of dopamine function is one potential treatment strategy that could treat nicotine dependence. Serotonergic neurons modulate the functioning of dopamine neurons in a complex fashion. Much of this complexity arises from the fact that serotonin (5-HT) exerts its effects through multiple receptor subtypes, some of which even act in apparent functional opposition to each other. This article reviews evidence, primarily from animal experiments, using behavioural procedures relevant to nicotine use on the potential for 5-HT receptors as targets for treating nicotine dependence. The 5-HT(1A, 2A, 2C, 3, 4, 6) receptor subtypes have received most experimental attention, with the 5-HT(1A) and 5-HT(2C) receptors being the best studied. Several studies have now shown that 5-HT(1A) receptor antagonists alleviate some of the behavioural signs induced by nicotine withdrawal. Electrophysiological and neurochemical studies show that stimulation of 5-HT(2C) receptors reduces the function of the mesolimbic dopamine pathway. 5-HT(2C) receptor agonists block the stimulatory action of nicotine on midbrain dopamine function. They also reduce several behavioural effects of nicotine including its discriminative stimulus properties and reinforcing effects. Although more work remains to be done, 5-HT(2C) receptor agonists perhaps hold the most promise as potential therapies for smoking cessation.