Behavioural and neurochemical adaptations to nicotine in rats: influence of NMDA antagonists

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Abstract
1 The repeated co-administration of the non-competitive N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist dizocilpine (0.1 and 0.3 mg kg−1, i.p.) with nicotine (0.4 mg kg−1, s.c.) attenuated the development of tolerance to the locomotor depressant effect of the nicotine in rats. 2 The repeated co-administration of the competitive NMDA antagonist d-CPPene (SDZ EAA 494; 3-(2-carboxypiperazin-4-yl)-1-propenyl-1-phosphonic acid, 2 and 8 mg kg−1, i.p.) also attenuated tolerance to the locomotor depressant effect of nicotine. 3 Dizocilpine (0.3 mg kg−1, i.p.) pretreatment attenuated sensitization to the locomotor stimulant effect of nicotine (0.4 mg kg−1, s.c.) and prevented sensitization of nicotine-induced dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens. However, pretreatment with dizocilpine alone caused a modest enhancement of the behavioural response to a subsequent acute dose of nicotine. 4 d-CPPene (2.0 mg kg−1, i.p.) pretreatment prevented sensitization to the nicotine-induced dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens. There was no enhanced locomotor response that could be attributed to nicotine pretreatment when d-CPPene was co-administered with nicotine. However, pretreatment with d-CPPene alone enhanced the locomotor response to an acute dose of nicotine. 5 The results suggest the involvement of NMDA receptors in adaptations of the behavioural and neurochemical effects of nicotine that occur as a result of repeated administration of the drug.