Abstract | RATIONALE: METHODS: Wild-type (β4(+/+)) and knockout (β4(-/-)) mice for the nAChR β4 subunit were tested in behavioral tests assessing cognitive function, affective behaviors, and nociception. RESULTS: There were no learning and memory deficits in β4(-/-) mice compared with β4(+/+) mice during the acquisition of the Barnes maze, contextual fear conditioning, and Y maze tasks. In the Barnes maze memory retention test, male β4(-/-) mice showed reduced use of the spatial search strategy, indicating small spatial memory deficits compared with β4(+/+) mice. In the cue-induced fear conditioning memory retention test, β4(-/-) mice exhibited reduced freezing time compared with β4(+/+) mice. Compared with β4(+/+) mice, β4(-/-) mice exhibited decreased anxiety-like behavior in the light-dark box. Depression-like behavior in β4(-/-) mice was decreased in the tail suspension test and increased in the forced swim test compared with β4(+/+) mice. β4(-/-) mice did not differ from β4(+/+) mice in basal nociception but were less sensitive to the antinociceptive effect of nicotine in 2 tests of acute thermal pain. CONCLUSIONS: Lack of β4-containing nAChRs resulted in small deficits in hippocampus- and amygdala-dependent memory retention functions. β4-containing nAChRs are involved in anxiety- and depression-like behaviors and contribute to the analgesic effects of nicotine.
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Authors | Svetlana Semenova, Candice Contet, Amanda J Roberts, Athina Markou |
Journal | Nicotine & tobacco research : official journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco
(Nicotine Tob Res)
Vol. 14
Issue 11
Pg. 1346-55
(Nov 2012)
ISSN: 1469-994X [Electronic] England |
PMID | 22573727
(Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural)
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Chemical References |
- Analgesics
- Chrnb4 protein, mouse
- Nerve Tissue Proteins
- Receptors, Nicotinic
- Nicotine
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Topics |
- Amygdala
(physiology)
- Analgesics
(pharmacology)
- Animals
- Anxiety
- Behavior, Animal
- Cognition
(physiology)
- Conditioning, Psychological
- Cues
- Depression
(genetics)
- Fear
- Female
- Learning
(physiology)
- Male
- Maze Learning
- Memory Disorders
(genetics)
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Mice, Knockout
- Motor Activity
- Nerve Tissue Proteins
(genetics, metabolism)
- Nicotine
(pharmacology)
- Receptors, Nicotinic
(genetics, metabolism)
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