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Acute nicotine increases both impulsive choice and behavioural disinhibition in rats

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Abstract

Rationale

Heavy smokers exhibit greater levels of impulsive choice and behavioural disinhibition than non-smokers. To date, however, the relationship between nicotine use and differing dimensions of impulsivity has not been systematically assessed.

Objectives

A series of studies was designed to assess the acute dose–response effects of nicotine and the nicotinic receptor antagonist mecamylamine alone, and in combination with nicotine, on impulsive choice and behavioural disinhibition in rats.

Methods

Separate groups of rats were trained on a symmetrically reinforced go/no-go task to measure levels of disinhibition and a systematic delayed reward task to measure levels of impulsive choice. Once trained, all animals in each task were treated acutely with nicotine (0.125, 0.25, 0.5 and 1.0 mg/kg), mecamylamine (0.1, 0.3 and 1.0 mg/kg) and varying doses of mecamylamine (0.1, 0.3 and 1.0 mg/kg) prior to nicotine (0.5 mg/kg). An additional experiment assessed the effects of alterations in primary motivation (presatiation and fasting) on performance in both tasks.

Results

Acute nicotine increased both impulsive choice and behavioural disinhibition, effects that were blocked by pre-treatment with mecamylamine. Mecamylamine when administered alone did not alter impulsive behaviour. The lack of effect of presatiation on performance measures suggests that the observed nicotine-induced impulsivity cannot be attributed to the anorectic activity of the compound.

Conclusions

Present findings support the hypothesis that heightened impulsivity in smokers may in part be a consequence of the direct acute effects of nicotine. As such, drug-induced changes in impulsivity may play a critical role in the transition to and maintenance of nicotine dependence.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Behavioural Neuroscience Laboratory, Institute of Psychological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK

    Robert J. Rodgers & Amanda A. Harrison

  2. Department of Psychology, Leeds Metropolitan University, D420 Civic Quarter, Calverley Street, Leeds, LS1 3HE, UK

    Katerina Zoe Kolokotroni

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  1. Katerina Zoe Kolokotroni
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Correspondence to Katerina Zoe Kolokotroni.

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Table 1

Experiment 1. The effect of acute mecamylamine on performance in the symmetrically reinforced go/no-go task (DOC 49 kb)

Table 2

Experiment 1. The effect of co-administration of nicotine and mecamylamine on performance in the symmetrically reinforced go/no-go task (DOC 48 kb)

Table 3

Experiment 2. The effect of acute mecamylamine on performance in the delayed reward task (DOC 48 kb)

Table 4

Experiment 2. The effect of co-administration of nicotine and mecamylmaine on performance in the delayed reward task (DOC 49 kb)

Table 5

Experiment 3. The effects of acute alterations in motivation for food reward on performance in the symmetrically reinforced go/no-go task (DOC 51 kb)

Table 6

Experiment 3. The effects of acute alterations in motivation for food reward on performance in the delayed reward task (DOC 50 kb)

Fig. 1

a–b Experiment 1. Accuracy of responding: the effects of acute nicotine (a) and combined nicotine and mecamylamine treatment (b) on percentage correct total trials. Each bar represents the mean percentage correct trials ± SEM. *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01 (as compared to vehicle control); ##p < 0.01 (as compared nicotine treatment alone) (DOC 79 kb)

Fig. 2

a–c Experiment 2. Choice behaviour: the effects of acute nicotine (a), acute mecamylamine (b) and combined nicotine and mecamylamine treatment (c) on overall percentage choice of delayed reward. Each bar represents the mean percentage choice ± SEM. *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01; ***p < 0.001 (as compared to vehicle control). †p < 0.05; ††p < 0.01 (as compared to the highest nicotine dose (0.5 mg/kg)). §p < 0.05 (as compared to the 0.3 mg/kg mecamylamine dose (0.3 mg/kg)). #p < 0.05; ##p < 0.01 (as compared to the combination treatment of saline and nicotine (0.3/0.5mg/kg)) (DOC 93 kb)

Fig. 3

Experiment 3. Choice behaviour: the effects of food restriction on percentage choice of delayed reward across delay conditions. Each point represents the mean percentage choice ± SEM. *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01; ***p < 0.001 (as compared to percentage choice at baseline) (DOC 62 kb)

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Kolokotroni, K.Z., Rodgers, R.J. & Harrison, A.A. Acute nicotine increases both impulsive choice and behavioural disinhibition in rats. Psychopharmacology 217, 455–473 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-011-2296-2

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