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Inbred mouse strains vary in oral self-selection of nicotine

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Abstract

Inbred mouse strains differ in sensitivity to a first dose of nicotine and in the development of tolerance to nicotine. The experiments reported here used six inbred mouse strains (A, BUB, C3H, C57BL/6, DBA/2, ST/b) that differ in sensitivity to an acute challenge dose of nicotine to determine whether differences in oral self-selection of nicotine exist. Animals were presented with solutions containing nicotine or vehicle (water or 0.2% saccharin) and their daily intake of the two fluids was measured for 4 days starting with a 10 µg/ml nicotine solution. This was followed by sequential 4-day testing with 20, 35, 50, 65, 80, 100, 125, 160, and 200 µg/ml nicotine solutions. The strains differed dramatically in their self-selection of nicotine and in maximal daily dose (mg/kg); the rank order of the strains was C57BL/6>DBA>BUB>A≥C3H≥ST/b for both the tap water and 0.2% saccharin choice experiments. Correlations between nicotine consumption and sensitivity to nicotine, as measured by a battery of behavioral and physiological responses, were also calculated. Strain differences in nicotine intake were highly correlated with senstivity to nicotine-induced seizures. As senstivity to nicotine-in-duced seizures increases, oral self-selection of nicotine decreases. This finding may suggest that this toxic action of nicotine serves to limit intake.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, Campus Box 447, 80309, Boulder, CO, USA

    S. F. Robinson, M. J. Marks & A. C. Collins

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  1. S. F. Robinson
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  2. M. J. Marks
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  3. A. C. Collins
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Robinson, S.F., Marks, M.J. & Collins, A.C. Inbred mouse strains vary in oral self-selection of nicotine. Psychopharmacology 124, 332–339 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02247438

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02247438

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