K. Rasmussen et Jf. Czachura, NICOTINE WITHDRAWAL LEADS TO INCREASED SENSITIVITY OF SEROTONERGIC NEURONS TO THE 5-HT1A AGONIST 8-OH-DPAT, Psychopharmacology, 133(4), 1997, pp. 343-346
In order to explore the neurophysiology of nicotine withdrawal, we exa
mined the activity of serotonergic neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus
in rats undergoing withdrawal from chronic exposure to nicotine. Anim
als were exposed to nicotine (6 mg/kg per day base) via SC implanted o
smotic minipumps. After 12 days the pumps were removed and the animals
allowed to go through spontaneous withdrawal. Rats were anesthetized
on various days of the procedure and the effect of the 5-hydroxytrypta
mine (5-HT)-1A agonist 8-OH-DPAT on the single-unit activity of seroto
nergic neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus was examined. The sensitivi
ty of serotonergic neurons to 8-OH-DPAT was not changed by the chronic
administration of nicotine or saline; slightly increased on day 2 of
withdrawal; significantly increased on days 3 and 4 of withdrawal; and
no longer significantly increased by day 7 of withdrawal. These resul
ts indicate that serotonergic neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus have
an increased sensitivity to systemically administered 8-OH-DPAT in ra
ts undergoing nicotine withdrawal and that the serotonergic system may
play a role in the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal.