THE CCK-B ANTAGONIST LY288513 BLOCKS THE EFFECTS OF NICOTINE WITHDRAWAL ON AUDITORY STARTLE

IN order to explore the potential clinical utility of CCK-B antagonist s for the treatment of nicotine withdrawal Symptoms, the auditory star tle reflex was examined in rats ongoing withdrawal from the chronic ad ministration of nicotine. Rats were exposed to nicotine continuously f or 12 days (6 mg kg(-1) day(-1)) via osmotic minipumps. After 12 days the pumps were removed and the animals allowed to go through spontaneo us withdrawal for several days. Acute treatment with the CCK-B antagon ist LY288513, at doses that have no effect on startle responses in nai ve rats, blocked the nicotine withdrawal-induced increase in the acous tic startle reflex. These results indicate that CCK-B antagonists be a n efficacious treatment for same nicotine withdrawal symptoms in man a nd represent a novel pharmacotherapy for smoking cessation.