Abstract
Within the rat ventral tegmental area (VTA), microinfusions of nicotine, the psychoactive component of cigarette smoke, produce both rewarding and aversive motivational effects. Here, a cresyl violet stained histological section showing bilateral microinjector cannulae in the rat VTA is presented. The aversive effects of intra-VTA nicotine are blocked by dopamine receptor blockade suggesting that dopamine transmits an aversive nicotine signal in the VTA. However, the rewarding effects of intra-VTA nicotine are not attenuated by this identical dopamine receptor blockade. In fact, dopamine receptor blockade dramatically potentiates the rewarding effects of nicotine and switches the motivational valence of nicotine from aversive, to rewarding. Molecular Psychiatry (2003) 8, 9 & 2003 Nature Publishing Group All rights reserved 1359-4184/03 $25.00
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