Em. Sanderson et al., UP-REGULATION OF NICOTINIC RECEPTORS FOLLOWING CONTINUOUS-INFUSION OFNICOTINE IS BRAIN-REGION-SPECIFIC, Brain research, 617(2), 1993, pp. 349-352
Rats receiving 4 mg nicotine/kg/day via implanted minipumps sustained
plasma nicotine concentrations of 40 ng/ml throughout two weeks of nic
otine infusion. Numbers of brain [H-3]nicotine binding sites were incr
eased by about 50% in cortex and hippocampus whereas numbers of [H-3]n
icotine binding sites in striatum were unaffected by nicotine treatmen
t at either of the timepoints examined (7, 14 days). Cortical [I-125]a
lpha-bungarotoxin and [H-3]QNB binding sites were also unchanged. The
regional selectivity of nicotinic receptor modulation may reflect the
low dose of nicotine used and the mode of administration. The changes
observed may be pertinent to the continuous administration of nicotine
in man, via transdermal nicotine patches.