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 Experiment Videos

Dramatic decreases in brain reward function during nicotine withdrawal

M P Epping-Jordan1, S S Watkins, G F Koob

  • 1The Scripps Research Institute, Department of Neuropharmacology, La Jolla, California 92037, USA.

Nature
|May 20, 1998
PubMed
Summary

Nicotine addiction causes decreased brain reward function during withdrawal, persisting for days. This neurobiological change in smokers may drive cravings and relapse, contributing to continued tobacco use.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Significant enhancement of ferromagnetism above room temperature in epitaxial 2D van der Waals ferromagnet Fe<sub>5-</sub>GeTe<sub>2</sub>/Bi<sub>2</sub>Te<sub>3</sub> heterostructures.

Nanoscale·2023
Same author

Metabolism-Related Gene Expression in Circulating Tumor Cells from Patients with Early Stage Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Cancers·2022
Same author

The potential of liquid biopsy in the management of cancer patients.

Seminars in cancer biology·2022
Same author

Origin of the quasi-quantized Hall effect in ZrTe<sub>5</sub>.

Nature communications·2021
Same author

Unconventional Hall response in the quantum limit of HfTe<sub>5</sub>.

Nature communications·2020
Same author

Nicotine withdrawal-induced inattention is absent in alpha7 nAChR knockout mice.

Psychopharmacology·2017

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Public Health
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Tobacco smoking is a major global health issue, causing significant mortality and healthcare costs.
  • Nicotine is the addictive component in tobacco smoke, yet the precise mechanisms of addiction are not fully understood.
  • Nicotine's addictive liability may stem from withdrawal symptoms like craving, anxiety, and depressed mood in dependent individuals.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the neurobiological effects of nicotine withdrawal on brain reward function.
  • To determine the duration and magnitude of decreased reward system function during nicotine abstinence.
  • To explore the role of nicotine receptors in mediating these withdrawal-induced changes.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a rat model to induce and study spontaneous nicotine withdrawal.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Measured brain reward function by assessing brain reward thresholds.
  • Administered nicotinic-receptor antagonists to chronic nicotine-treated rats to assess dose-dependent effects.

    • Main Results:

    • Spontaneous nicotine withdrawal in rats led to a significant, four-day decrease in brain reward function (elevated reward thresholds).
    • Systemic administration of a nicotinic-receptor antagonist dose-dependently increased brain reward thresholds in nicotine-dependent rats.
    • The observed decrease in reward system function during nicotine withdrawal is comparable to that of other major drugs of abuse.

    Conclusions:

    • Nicotine withdrawal significantly impairs brain reward system function, with effects lasting for several days.
    • This neurobiological deficit in reward function during abstinence is a key factor in nicotine addiction.
    • The findings suggest that impaired reward system function contributes to craving, relapse, and sustained tobacco consumption in humans.