Investigation of endocannabinoid modulation of conditioned responding evoked by a nicotine CS and the Pavlovian stimulus effects of CP 55,940 in adult male rats.

Rationale: The cannabinoid CB(1) receptor antagonist/inverse agonist rimonabant (SR 141716) has been shown to block reinforcing and rewarding effects of nicotine. Research has not investigated whether the cannabinoid system is involved in the interoceptive stimulus effects of nicotine functioning as a conditional stimulus (CS).

Objective: We examined the effects of rimonabant and the CB(1/2) receptor agonist, CP 55,940, on responding evoked by a nicotine CS in rats.