The necessity of α4 nicotinic receptors in nicotine-driven behaviors: Dissociation between reinforcing and motor effects of nicotine

Abstract

Here we utilize a mouse line with a targeted deletion of the α4 subunit (α4/ mice), to investigate the role of α4 nAChRs in reinforcing and locomotor effects of nicotine. Within a conditioned place preference paradigm, both α4/ mice and wild-type (WT) littermates showed a similar place preference to nicotine (0.5 mg/kg i.p.) conditioning. When assessed for operant intravenous self-administration of nicotine (0.05 mg/kg/infusion), α4/ mice did not differ from their WT littermates in self-administration behavior. To further examine a modulatory role for α4 nAChRs in the reinforcing effects of nicotine, a transgenic mouse with a point mutation of the α4 subunit (α4-S248F) that renders increased..