Nicotine self-administration in rats

• Published in: Psychopharmacologia Vol. 122; no. 4; pp. 390 - 394
• Main Authors: DONNY, E. C, CAGGIULA, A. R, KNOPF, S, BROWN, C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin Springer 01-12-1995
• Subjects: Animals; Behavior, Animal - drug effects; Biological and medical sciences; Male; Medical sciences; Nicotine - administration & dosage; Nicotine - pharmacology; Nicotinic Agonists - administration & dosage; Nicotinic Agonists - pharmacology; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Self Administration; Tobacco, tobacco smoking; Toxicology; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Acquisition process; Intravenous administration; Rat; Animal; Rodentia; Dependence; Reinforcement; Instrumental conditioning; Self administration; Nicotine
• ISSN: 0033-3158; 1432-2072
• DOI: 10.1007/BF02246272

Considering the importance of self-administration models in determining mechanisms of drug maintained behavior, we attempted to replicate the findings of nicotine self-administration by Corrigall and Coen. Male, Sprague-Dawley rats, trained on food reinforcement, acquired relatively high and stable rates of self-administration of IV nicotine bitartrate (0.03 mg/kg, free base). Extinction and reacquisition followed substituting saline and then nicotine, respectively. Responses, infusions and intake decreased at 0.003 mg/kg, while intake increased at 0.06 mg/kg. This model of nicotine self-administration provides a reliable alternative to experimenter-administration models for examining the effects of nicotine.