Behavioral and neurochemical variations during nicotine withdrawal in mice. Prevention with Baclofen.

VARANI ANDRÉS P; MOUTINHO LIRANE; CALVO MARIELA; BALERIO GRACIELA N.

Huerta Grande-Córdoba

Congreso; I Reunión Conjunta de Neurociencias (IRCN); 2009

Nicotine (NIC) is critical in the maintenance of tobacco use and is the major active component of tobacco. The aim of the present study was to analyze the neurochemical variations in various brain regions of mice during NIC withdrawal syndrome and its prevention with baclofen (BAC, GABAB receptor agonist). Swiss-Webster albino mice received NIC (2.5 mg/kg, sc) 4 times daily, for 7 days. On day 8, dependent mice received the nicotine antagonist mecamylamine (MEC, 2 mg/kg, ip) 1 h after the last dose of NIC. A second group of dependent mice received BAC (2 mg/kg, ip) before MEC-precipitated abstinence. Somatic signs were measured for 30 min. The levels of dopamine (DA), serotonin (5-HT) and its metabolites were determined by HPLC in the striatum, cortex and hippocampus. NIC withdrawal produced a significant increase in wet-dog-shakes (P