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EFFECT OF EPISODIC WEEKLY NICOTINE ADMINISTRATION ON REPEATED ACQUISITION IN RATS.
Citation:
Jarema, K A., J D. Farmer, AND R C. MacPhail. EFFECT OF EPISODIC WEEKLY NICOTINE ADMINISTRATION ON REPEATED ACQUISITION IN RATS. Presented at Southeastern Association for Behavioral Analysis, Wilmington, NC, 10/18-20/2001.
Description:
Our prior research showed both tolerance and sensitization to nicotine?s effects on motor activity with weekly dosing. This experiment determined the generality of this finding to conditioned behavior. After extended training on a repeated acquisition/performance schedule all rats received 0.6 mg/kg of nicotine. Rats were then divided into two groups that received either two weekly injections of nicotine or saline. All rats received nicotine the fourth week. Nicotine initially decreased response accuracy and reinforcement rate. Tolerance developed to the effects of nicotine with weekly dosing. Substantial tolerance also occurred in rats receiving nicotine three weeks after the first dose. No differences were obtained between groups when nicotine was not administered. These results suggest long-term behavioral changes in nicotine sensitivity following episodic acute administration.
This abstract does not necessarily reflect U.S. EPA policy.