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Chronic haloperidol administration does not block acute nicotine-induced improvements in radial-arm maze performance in the rat.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Levin, ED
Published in: Pharmacol Biochem Behav
December 1997

Nicotine has been found to improve cognitive performance in a variety of tasks including the radial maze. Nicotine has also been shown to promote the release of a variety of neurotransmitters including dopamine (DA). DA has been found to be important for nicotine's reinforcing effects. DA involvement with nicotine's cognitive effects is unclear. In the current study, the effects of acute nicotine injections (0, 0.1, 0.2, or 0.4 mg/kg) were examined on radial-arm maze performance in rats given chronic infusions the DA antagonist haloperidol (0, 0.2, or 0.6 mg/kg/day). Chronic haloperidol infusion was not found to attenuate the memory improvement caused by acute nicotine injection. In fact, the dose-related nicotine-induced memory improvement was clearer in the haloperidol-treated groups than in controls. This is similar to the effect of nicotine we saw in human subjects given chronic doses of haloperidol. Our previous studies demonstrated significant nicotinic-DA interactions with regard to memory function. The current results suggest that in the DA-nicotinic relationship DA stimulation is not necessary for the memory improvement caused by nicotine.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Pharmacol Biochem Behav

DOI

ISSN

0091-3057

Publication Date

December 1997

Volume

58

Issue

4

Start / End Page

899 / 902

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Rats
  • Psychomotor Performance
  • Nicotine
  • Neurology & Neurosurgery
  • Memory, Short-Term
  • Maze Learning
  • Haloperidol
  • Female
  • Drug Implants
 

Citation

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Levin, E. D. (1997). Chronic haloperidol administration does not block acute nicotine-induced improvements in radial-arm maze performance in the rat. Pharmacol Biochem Behav, 58(4), 899–902. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0091-3057(97)00052-x
Levin, E. D. “Chronic haloperidol administration does not block acute nicotine-induced improvements in radial-arm maze performance in the rat.Pharmacol Biochem Behav 58, no. 4 (December 1997): 899–902. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0091-3057(97)00052-x.
Levin, E. D. “Chronic haloperidol administration does not block acute nicotine-induced improvements in radial-arm maze performance in the rat.Pharmacol Biochem Behav, vol. 58, no. 4, Dec. 1997, pp. 899–902. Pubmed, doi:10.1016/s0091-3057(97)00052-x.
Journal cover image

Published In

Pharmacol Biochem Behav

DOI

ISSN

0091-3057

Publication Date

December 1997

Volume

58

Issue

4

Start / End Page

899 / 902

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Rats
  • Psychomotor Performance
  • Nicotine
  • Neurology & Neurosurgery
  • Memory, Short-Term
  • Maze Learning
  • Haloperidol
  • Female
  • Drug Implants