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Alcohol‐induced depression and associated changes in hippocampal BDNF is attenuated by nicotine
Author(s) -
Kalejaiye Olubukola O,
Taylor Robert E,
Tizabi Yousef
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.27.1_supplement.658.5
Subject(s) - nicotine , anhedonia , neurochemical , behavioural despair test , alcohol , medicine , endocrinology , hippocampal formation , alcohol abuse , pharmacology , psychology , antidepressant , hippocampus , psychiatry , chemistry , biochemistry , dopamine
Although various hypotheses for alcohol‐nicotine co‐dependence have been suggested, it is not known whether pharmacological effects of alcohol or nicotine on mood behavior may contribute to such co‐abuse. Chronic exposure to high alcohol levels may lead to neurochemical changes and precipitate depressive‐like behavior, whereas nicotine may exert an antidepressant‐like effect. Here, we sought to determine whether nicotine may mitigate the behavioral and neurochemical effects of alcohol. Adult male Wistar rats were injected (i.p.) with alcohol (1.0g/kg), nicotine (0.3mg/kg) or their combination once daily for 21 days. The behavior of these rats in open field locomotor activity (LMA), the forced swim test (FST), a measure of helplessness and sucrose preference test, a measure of anhedonia were evaluated 18h after the last injection. Chronic alcohol did not affect LMA, but increased immobility in FST and decreased sucrose consumption suggesting a “depressogenic” effect. Nicotine alone did not affect the behavior of the rats, but significantly attenuated alcohol‐induced increase in immobility in FST and decrease in sucrose intake. Parallel to the behavioral changes, alcohol treatment resulted in a significant decrease in hippocampal BDNF which was attenuated by nicotine. These findings suggest that the opposing effects of alcohol and nicotine on depressive‐like behavior may contribute to their co‐abuse.