Nicotine sensitization increases dendritic length and spine density in thenucleus accumbens and cingulate cortex

This study investigated the effects of repeated administrations of nicotine (0.7 mg/kg) on dendritic morphology in the nucleus accumbens (NAcc), prefr ontal cortex (Cg 3), and parietal cortex (Par 1). Animals were habituated f or 3 days to a locomotor box, and after habituation, every second day for 5 weeks rats were placed into the locomotor chamber immediately after a subc utaneous injection of nicotine or saline. Rats demonstrated tolerance to an initial hypoactive response after each nicotine injection, and this was fo llowed by an increase in activity after each injection (behavioral sensitiz ation). This increase in activity was still present on a nicotine challenge after a 2-week abstinence period. One week after the nicotine challenge da y, all rats were perfused and brains were removed. These brains we stained using Golgi-Cox procedures, and dendrites from the nucleus accumbens (N Ace ), medial frontal cortex (Cg 3) and parietal cortex (Par 1) were analyzed u sing the camera lucida procedure. Results showed that rats receiving nicoti ne demonstrated an increase in dendritic length and spine density relative to controls in the NAcc and Cg3 brain areas, but not Par 1. The increase ob served in the NAcc was significantly greater than what has been found with amphetamine or cocaine, and possible underlying mechanisms were discussed. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.