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Nicotine self-administration in rats

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Abstract

Considering the importance of self-administration models in determining mechanisms of drug maintained behavior, we attempted to replicate the findings of nicotine self-administration by Corrigall and Coen. Male, Sprague-Dawley rats, trained on food reinforcement, acquired relatively high and stable rates of self-administration of IV nicotine bitartrate (0.03 mg/kg, free base). Extinction and reacquisition followed substituting saline and then nicotine, respectively. Responses, infusions and intake decreased at 0.003 mg/kg, while intake increased at 0.06 mg/kg. This model of nicotine self-administration provides a reliable alternative to experimenter-administration models for examining the effects of nicotine.

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Donny, E.C., Caggiula, A.R., Knopf, S. et al. Nicotine self-administration in rats. Psychopharmacology 122, 390–394 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02246272

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02246272

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