Nicotine interactions with dopamine agonists: Effects on working memory function

Nicotine has been found to improve memory performance in a variety of tests including the radial‐arm maze. Nicotine may have effects mediated by promoting the release of dopamine. The present study was conducted to determine the interactions of nicotine with D1 and D2 agonists. Rats were acutely administered nicotine, the D1 agonist SKF 38393, and D2/D3 agonist quinpirole, and nicotine together with each of these agonists. Nicotine significantly improved choice accuracy in the radial‐arm maze. The D1 agonist SKF 38393 significantly impaired choice accuracy. Nicotine was effective in reversing this effect. The D2/D3 agonist quinpirole showed a trend toward potentiating the improvement in choice accuracy caused by 0.2 mg/kg (0.43 μmol/kg) of nicotine. These data show that, as with the nicotinic antagonist mecamylamine, there are significant interactions of dopamine systems with nicotine effects. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. Copyright © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

Duke Scholars

Author Edward Daniel Levin Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Behavioral Medicine & Neur ...