Nicotine Self-Administration With Tobacco Flavor Additives in Male Rats. 2020

Matthew I Palmatier, and Amanda L Smith, and Ethan M Odineal, and Emily A Williams, and Ashley B Sheppard, and Curtis A Bradley
Department of Psychology, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN.

Nicotine can robustly increase responding for conditioned reinforcers (CRs), stimuli that acquire reinforcing properties based on association with primary reinforcers. Menthol and licorice are tobacco flavoring agents also found in sweet foods (eg, candy and ice cream), making them putative CRs before they are consumed in tobacco. We sought to determine if intravenous self-administration (IVSA) of nicotine was enhanced by the inclusion of oral tobacco flavor CRs. Menthol (160 or 320 µM) or licorice root extract (0.1% or 1%) were established as CRs (paired with 20% sucrose) or "neutral" stimuli (paired with water) in separate groups. During subsequent IVSA tests, nicotine was delivered in conjunction with oral presentations of the CR. In experiment 1, a menthol CR significantly shifted the peak nicotine dose from 15 µg/kg/infusion (Neutral group) to 3.25 µg/kg/infusion (CR group). In experiment 2, a menthol CR significantly increased operant licks for nicotine (3 µg/kg/infusion) relative to control groups. In experiment 3, both licorice and menthol CRs significantly increased operant licks for nicotine (7.5 µg/kg/infusion) relative to an "inactive" sipper. The licorice CR increased nicotine IVSA in proportion to the strength of the flavor, but both menthol concentrations increased nicotine IVSA to a similar extent. Tobacco flavor additives with conditioned reinforcing properties promote acquisition of nicotine self-administration at low unit doses and may have robust impact on tobacco consumption when nicotine yield is low. Tobacco flavor additives are found in rewarding foods (eg, ice cream) and gain palatability based on associations with primary rewards (eg, sugar) making them "conditioned reinforcers." Nicotine increases the motivation for flavor conditioned reinforcers and the present studies show that tobacco flavor additives can interact with nicotine to promote more nicotine self-administration. The interaction between flavors additives and nicotine may promote nicotine exposure and subsequently dependence.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D008610 Menthol A monoterpene cyclohexanol produced from mint oils. Cyclohexanol, 5-methyl-2-(1-methylethyl)-,Menthol, (1alpha,2beta,5alpha)-Isomer
D009042 Motivation Those factors which cause an organism to behave or act in either a goal-seeking or satisfying manner. They may be influenced by physiological drives or by external stimuli. Incentives,Disincentives,Expectations,Disincentive,Expectation,Incentive,Motivations
D009538 Nicotine Nicotine is highly toxic alkaloid. It is the prototypical agonist at nicotinic cholinergic receptors where it dramatically stimulates neurons and ultimately blocks synaptic transmission. Nicotine is also important medically because of its presence in tobacco smoke. Nicotine Bitartrate,Nicotine Tartrate
D012054 Reinforcement, Psychology The strengthening of a conditioned response. Negative Reinforcement,Positive Reinforcement,Psychological Reinforcement,Reinforcement (Psychology),Negative Reinforcements,Positive Reinforcements,Psychological Reinforcements,Psychology Reinforcement,Psychology Reinforcements,Reinforcement, Negative,Reinforcement, Positive,Reinforcement, Psychological,Reinforcements (Psychology),Reinforcements, Negative,Reinforcements, Positive,Reinforcements, Psychological,Reinforcements, Psychology
D004305 Dose-Response Relationship, Drug The relationship between the dose of an administered drug and the response of the organism to the drug. Dose Response Relationship, Drug,Dose-Response Relationships, Drug,Drug Dose-Response Relationship,Drug Dose-Response Relationships,Relationship, Drug Dose-Response,Relationships, Drug Dose-Response
D005421 Flavoring Agents Substances added to foods and medicine to improve the taste. Flavor Additives,Flavor Enhancers,Additive, Flavor,Additives, Flavor,Agent, Flavoring,Agents, Flavoring,Enhancer, Flavor,Enhancers, Flavor,Flavor Additive,Flavor Enhancer,Flavoring Agent
D006035 Glycyrrhiza A genus of leguminous herbs or shrubs whose roots yield GLYCYRRHETINIC ACID and its derivative, CARBENOXOLONE. Licorice,Glycyrrhiza glabra,Liquorice,Licorices,Liquorices
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D012646 Self Administration Administration of a drug or chemical by the individual under the direction of a physician. It includes administration clinically or experimentally, by human or animal. Administration, Self,Administrations, Self,Self Administrations

Related Publications

Matthew I Palmatier, and Amanda L Smith, and Ethan M Odineal, and Emily A Williams, and Ashley B Sheppard, and Curtis A Bradley
August 2021, Psychopharmacology,
Matthew I Palmatier, and Amanda L Smith, and Ethan M Odineal, and Emily A Williams, and Ashley B Sheppard, and Curtis A Bradley
May 2016, Psychopharmacology,
Matthew I Palmatier, and Amanda L Smith, and Ethan M Odineal, and Emily A Williams, and Ashley B Sheppard, and Curtis A Bradley
October 2020, Neuropharmacology,
Matthew I Palmatier, and Amanda L Smith, and Ethan M Odineal, and Emily A Williams, and Ashley B Sheppard, and Curtis A Bradley
May 2014, Pharmacology, biochemistry, and behavior,
Matthew I Palmatier, and Amanda L Smith, and Ethan M Odineal, and Emily A Williams, and Ashley B Sheppard, and Curtis A Bradley
March 2012, Drug and alcohol dependence,
Matthew I Palmatier, and Amanda L Smith, and Ethan M Odineal, and Emily A Williams, and Ashley B Sheppard, and Curtis A Bradley
January 1979, NIDA research monograph,
Matthew I Palmatier, and Amanda L Smith, and Ethan M Odineal, and Emily A Williams, and Ashley B Sheppard, and Curtis A Bradley
September 1984, British journal of pharmacology,
Matthew I Palmatier, and Amanda L Smith, and Ethan M Odineal, and Emily A Williams, and Ashley B Sheppard, and Curtis A Bradley
December 1995, Psychopharmacology,
Matthew I Palmatier, and Amanda L Smith, and Ethan M Odineal, and Emily A Williams, and Ashley B Sheppard, and Curtis A Bradley
January 2021, Psychopharmacology,
Matthew I Palmatier, and Amanda L Smith, and Ethan M Odineal, and Emily A Williams, and Ashley B Sheppard, and Curtis A Bradley
September 2013, Psychopharmacology,
Copied contents to your clipboard!