Nicotine as a discriminative stimulus for ethanol use
Brett C Ginsburg1, Simon A Levy2, R J Lamb1
1Department of Psychiatry, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA.
Drug and Alcohol Dependence
|November 28, 2017
Summary
Nicotine can signal the availability of ethanol, influencing drug-seeking behavior. This establishes a potential mechanism underlying polysubstance abuse, impacting both its development and recovery.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Behavioral Pharmacology
- Addiction Research
Background:
- Abused drugs function as behavioral reinforcers and discriminative stimuli.
- One drug can signal the availability of another, potentially contributing to polysubstance abuse patterns.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish nicotine as a discriminative stimulus for ethanol-reinforced behavior.
- To investigate the control of drug-seeking behavior by nicotine, varenicline, and ethanol.
Main Methods:
- Rats were trained to associate nicotine administration with ethanol availability.
- Nicotine, varenicline, and ethanol were administered to assess their control over lever-pressing for ethanol.
- Control groups experienced nicotine signaling food availability.
Main Results:
- Nicotine successfully functioned as a discriminative stimulus for ethanol-reinforced responding.
- Nicotine and varenicline dose-dependently increased responding on the nicotine-associated lever.
- Ethanol administration led to responding on the vehicle-associated lever, with outcomes dependent on training conditions.
Conclusions:
- A drug can acquire the ability to signal the availability of another abused drug.
- This established stimulus control may play a significant role in the maintenance and recovery from polysubstance abuse.
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