The role of glucocorticoid and nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the reward-enhancing effects of nicotine in the ICSS procedure in male and female rats.

Tobacco use disorder is a chronic disorder that affects more than one billion people worldwide and causes the death of millions each year. The rewarding properties of nicotine are critical for the initiation of smoking. Previous research has shown that the activation of glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) plays a role in nicotine self-administration in rats.

Flavokavains A- and B-Free Kava Enhances Resilience against the Adverse Health Effects of Tobacco Smoke in Mice.

Tobacco smoke remains a serious global issue, resulting in serious health complications, contributing to the onset of numerous preventive diseases and imposing significant health burdens. Despite regulatory policies and cessation measures aimed at curbing its usage, novel interventions are urgently needed for effective damage reduction. Our preclinical and pilot clinical studies showed that AB-free kava has the potential to reduce tobacco-smoking-induced lung cancer risk, mitigate tobacco dependence, and reduce tobacco use.

Sex differences in nicotine intake and relapse behavior in nicotine-dependent adult wistar rats.

Introduction: Tobacco use is highly addictive and the leading cause of premature mortality in the world. Long-access nicotine self-administration procedures in rats closely model human smoking behavior. However, significant gaps remain in our understanding of sex differences in the development of dependence and relapse in adult rats.

The Role of Glucocorticoid and Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors in the Reward-Enhancing Effects of Nicotine in the ICSS Procedure in Male and Female Rats.

Tobacco use disorder is a chronic disorder that affects more than one billion people worldwide and causes the death of millions each year. The rewarding properties of nicotine are critical for the initiation of smoking. Previous research has shown that the activation of glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) plays a role in nicotine self-administration in rats.

AB-free kava enhances resilience against the adverse health effects of tobacco smoke in mice.

Tobacco smoke remains a serious global issue, resulting in serious health complications, contributing to the onsets of numerous preventive diseases, and imposing significant financial burdens. Despite regulatory policies and cessation measures aimed at curbing its usage, novel interventions are urgently needed for effective damage reduction. Our preclinical and pilot clinical studies showed that AB-free kava has the potential to reduce tobacco smoke-induced lung cancer risk, mitigate tobacco dependence, and reduce tobacco use.

Age-related differences in affective behaviors in mice: possible role of prefrontal cortical-hippocampal functional connectivity and metabolomic profiles.

Introduction: The differential expression of emotional reactivity from early to late adulthood may involve maturation of prefrontal cortical responses to negative valence stimuli. In mice, age-related changes in affective behaviors have been reported, but the functional neural circuitry warrants further investigation.

Methods: We assessed age variations in affective behaviors and functional connectivity in male and female C57BL6/J mice.

Mifepristone decreases nicotine intake in dependent and non-dependent adult rats.

Background: Addiction to tobacco and nicotine products has adverse health effects and afflicts more than a billion people worldwide. Therefore, there is an urgent need for new treatments to reduce tobacco and nicotine use. Glucocorticoid receptor blockade shows promise as a novel treatment for drug abuse and stress-related disorders.

Age-Related Differences in Affective Behaviors in Mice: Possible Role of Prefrontal Cortical-Hippocampal Functional Connectivity and Metabolomic Profiles.

The differential expression of emotional reactivity from early to late adulthood may involve maturation of prefrontal cortical responses to negative valence stimuli. In mice, age-related changes in affective behaviors have been reported, but the functional neural circuitry warrants further investigation. We assessed age variations in affective behaviors and functional connectivity in male and female C57BL6/J mice.

Prevalence of Underreported Nicotine Exposure Among US Nonsmoking Adults: A Comparison of Self-Reported Exposure and Serum Cotinine Levels From NHANES 2013-2020.

Introduction: Secondhand smoke (SHS) poses a significant health risk. However, individuals who do not smoke may be unaware of their exposure, thereby failing to take protective actions promptly.

Aims And Methods: We assessed the prevalence of underreported nicotine exposure in a nationally representative sample of US nonsmoking adults using data from the US National Health and Examination Survey.

An ethogram analysis of cutaneous thermal pain sensitivity and oxycodone reward-related behaviors in rats.

Inter-relationships between pain sensitivity, drug reward, and drug misuse are of considerable interest given that many analgesics exhibit misuse potential. Here we studied rats as they underwent a series of pain- and reward-related tests: cutaneous thermal reflex pain, induction and extinction of conditioned place preference to oxycodone (0.56 mg/kg), and finally the impact of neuropathic pain on reflex pain and reinstatement of conditioned place preference.

Opportunities and Challenges of Kava in Lung Cancer Prevention.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths due to its high incidence, late diagnosis, and limited success in clinical treatment. Prevention therefore is critical to help improve lung cancer management. Although tobacco control and tobacco cessation are effective strategies for lung cancer prevention, the numbers of current and former smokers in the USA and globally are not expected to decrease significantly in the near future.

An ethogram analysis of cutaneous thermal pain sensitivity and oxycodone reward-related behaviors in rats.

Inter-relationships between pain sensitivity, drug reward, and drug misuse are of considerable interest given that many analgesics exhibit misuse potential. Here we studied rats as they underwent a series of pain- and reward-related tests: cutaneous thermal reflex pain, induction and extinction of conditioned place preference to oxycodone (0.56 mg/kg), and finally the impact of neuropathic pain on reflex pain and reinstatement of conditioned place preference.

The D1/D2-like receptor antagonist flupentixol and the D2-like receptor antagonist L-741626 decrease operant responding for nicotine and food and locomotor activity in male and female rats.

Background: The reinforcing properties of nicotine play a critical role in smoking and vaping. There is a need for treatments that decrease the reinforcing properties of nicotine and thereby improve smoking and vaping rates. Dopamine plays a role in the reinforcing properties of nicotine, but little is known about the role of dopamine D2-like receptors in nicotine intake and whether there are sex differences in the effects of dopaminergic drugs on nicotine intake.

Development of Dependence in Smokers and Rodents With Voluntary Nicotine Intake: Similarities and Differences.

Introduction: Smoking and vaping throughout adolescence and early adulthood lead to nicotine dependence. Nicotine withdrawal is associated with somatic and affective withdrawal symptoms that contribute to smoking and relapse. Affective nicotine withdrawal symptoms in humans include craving for cigarettes, depression, anxiety, trouble sleeping, and cognitive deficits.

Dopamine D1-like receptor blockade and stimulation decreases operant responding for nicotine and food in male and female rats.

Dopamine has been implicated in the reinforcing effects of smoking. However, there remains a need for a better understanding of the effects of dopamine D1-like receptor agonists on nicotine intake and the role of sex differences in the effects of dopaminergic drugs on behavior. This work studied the effects of D1-like receptor stimulation and blockade on operant responding for nicotine and food and locomotor activity in male and female rats.

Oxycodone decreases anxiety-like behavior in the elevated plus-maze test in male and female rats.

The prescription opioid oxycodone is widely used for the treatment of pain in humans. Oxycodone misuse is more common among people with an anxiety disorder than those without one. Therefore, oxycodone might be misused for its anxiolytic properties.

Adolescent nicotine treatment causes robust locomotor sensitization during adolescence but impedes the spontaneous acquisition of nicotine intake in adult female Wistar rats.

Very few people are able to quit smoking, and therefore it is essential to know which factors contribute to the development of compulsive nicotine use. These studies aimed to investigate if early-adolescent nicotine exposure causes locomotor sensitization and affects anxiety-like behavior and the spontaneous acquisition of intravenous nicotine self-administration. Early-adolescent male and female rats were treated with nicotine from postnatal (P) days 24 to 42, and anxiety-like behavior and locomotor activity were investigated one day after the cessation of nicotine treatment and in adulthood (>P75).

Rewarding Effects of Nicotine Self-administration Increase Over Time in Male and Female Rats.

Introduction: Smoking and the use of other nicotine-containing products is rewarding in humans. The self-administration of nicotine is also rewarding in male rats. However, it is unknown if there are sex differences in the reward-enhancing effects of nicotine self-administration and if the rewarding effects of nicotine change over time.

Rodent models for nicotine withdrawal.

Background: Animal models are critical to improve our understanding of the neuronal mechanisms underlying nicotine withdrawal. Nicotine dependence in rodents can be established by repeated nicotine injections, chronic nicotine infusion via osmotic minipumps, oral nicotine intake, tobacco smoke exposure, nicotine vapor exposure, and e-cigarette aerosol exposure. The time course of nicotine withdrawal symptoms associated with these methods has not been reviewed in the literature.

Sex differences in the elevated plus-maze test and large open field test in adult Wistar rats.

There is a growing need for a better understanding of sex differences in animal models of psychiatric disorders. The elevated plus-maze (EPM) test and large open field (LOF) test are widely used to study anxiety-like behavior in rodents. Our studies explored sex differences in anxiety and activity parameters in the LOF and EPM and determined whether these parameters correlate within and between tests.

Tobacco smoke exposure enhances reward sensitivity in male and female rats.

Rationale: Systemic administration of the tobacco smoke constituent nicotine stimulates brain reward function in rats. However, it is unknown if the inhalation of tobacco smoke affects brain reward function.

Objectives: These experiments investigated if exposure to smoke from high-nicotine SPECTRUM research cigarettes increases reward function and affects the rewarding effects of nicotine in adult male and female Wistar rats.

Effects of repeated adolescent exposure to cannabis smoke on cognitive outcomes in adulthood.

Background: Cannabis (marijuana) is the most widely used illicit drug in the USA, and consumption among adolescents is rising. Some animal studies show that adolescent exposure to delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol or synthetic cannabinoid receptor 1 agonists causes alterations in affect and cognition that can persist into adulthood. It is less clear, however, whether similar alterations result from exposure to cannabis via smoke inhalation, which remains the most frequent route of administration in humans.