Abstract
Effects of transient inhibition of the core part of the nucl. accumbens (NAcC) by lidocaine on nicotineinduced conditioned place preference in male Wistar rats were examined. Lidocaine (2%) was injected into the NAcC of nicotine-conditioned animals before each nicotine i.p. injection. On the test day, behavior of the animals in a two-lcompartment apparatus was recorded during 10 min. Results revealed that i.p. injections of nicotine (1.0 or 1.5 mg/kg) induced place preference. Transient lidocaine-induced inhibition of one or both sides of the NAcC did not change place preference but changed the numbers of compartment crossings, rearings, and sniffings. Inhibition of the left part and both parts of the structure reduced sniffing and increased place preference; inhibition of the right part of the nucleus increased the intensity of this phenomena.
Highlights
Nicotine addiction results from tobacco smoking and, simultaneously, it is the main reason for the maintenance of this habit
The place conditioning paradigm was provided by nicotine (1.5 mg/kg, i.p.) introductions, but 2% lidocaine was injected 5 min before each nicotine administration into either right or left side of nucl. accumbens (NAcC) or applied to this structure bilaterally
Our findings showed that i.p. nicotine administration significantly influences place preference in the rats with a previous history of nicotine introductions
Summary
Nicotine addiction results from tobacco smoking and, simultaneously, it is the main reason for the maintenance of this habit. The NAc receives excitatory and modulatory DAergic inputs from the cortex and ventral tegmental area, respectively [8, 9].The nucleus is subdivided into the core (C) and shell (Sh) parts according to noticeable anatomical and cytochemical differences [10,11,12]. There are reasons to believe that the Sh part of the NAc after nicotine introduction initiates nicotine rewarding properties, while the C part may play a role in the nicotine conditioning (Pavlovian type) [3]. The possible important role of this asymmetry in nicotine reward was not clear. Our main aim was to evaluate the results of transient switching off of the NAcC by lidocaine when trying to clarify the roles of the left and right halves of the NAcC in the nicotine reward using the place conditioning paradigm
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