Abstract
The objective of these experiments was to study the effects of ethanol on the anxiety level, activity, metabolic rate, and feeding and drinking behaviors of rats that were chronically treated with nicotine. The chronic intake of nicotine changed the effects of the acute administration of ethanol. Thus, the nicotine-dependent rats demonstrated a significantly decreased anxiolytic-like effect in response to ethanol than did the control rats. This decrease may lead to a decrease in the sensitivity of animals to the positive reinforcing effects of ethanol and an increase in their consumption to achieve the desired effect. The negative action of ethanol on the metabolism, motor activity and drinking behavior of rats that chronically consumed nicotine was increased. Chronic nicotine intake can be assumed to lead to cross-tolerance of the effects of ethanol. On the contrary, the sensitivity to the action of ethanol increased.
Highlights
The joint use of nicotine and ethanol is widespread among humans
The time spent on the open arms of the EPM and locomotor activity in the open arms of the EPM was not significantly different between the animals treated with nicotine and the control group treated with saline
During the first 8 hours after the administration of nicotine, the rats did not demonstrate a significant effect on locomotor activity, metabolism, food and water intake, or the intensity of the movement in the cage center compared with the control animals
Summary
The joint use of nicotine and ethanol is widespread among humans. The episodic consumption of alcoholic beverages most often occurs against a background of chronic tobacco smoking [1]. Smoking tobacco is known to result in the action of nicotine on the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the brain. The chronic intake of nicotine induces changes in the density and affinity of acetylcholine receptors, which may change the effects of ethanol in such subjects [5] [6]. Chronic nicotine consumption was noted to lower the positive reinforcing effect of ethanol by suppressing ethanol-induced dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens [7] [8]. Chronic nicotine administration increased the effect of ethanol on motor activity and dopamine turnover in the brain [12]. Chronic nicotine intake increased ethanol self-administration behavior [13]
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