Sex- and age-dependent impacts of nicotine and ethanol binge drinking on the brain: Insights from preclinical research

Abstract

Electronic cigarette use among adolescents is a growing concern, not only due to the high incidence of co-use with other substances, such as alcohol, but also due to the fact brain is still maturing during this period. Combined exposure to alcohol and nicotine leads to plastic adaptation of crucial circuits in the brain, which can contribute to the development of addiction. It is well established that nicotine exposure can facilitate alcohol binge drinking, and vice-versa, in a sex-, age- and exposure-dependent manner. Nonetheless, the central mechanisms underlying the synergistic relationship between these two substances and the emergence of differential behavioural traits dependent on thes..