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Adolescence

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The Effects Of Nicotine Administration On Behavior And Markers Of Brain Plasticity In A Rodent Model Of Psychosis, Marla K. Perna May 2012

The Effects Of Nicotine Administration On Behavior And Markers Of Brain Plasticity In A Rodent Model Of Psychosis, Marla K. Perna

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Schizophrenia affects about 1% of the population. A hallmark of the disorder is increased dopamine D2 receptor sensitivity in the brain. Studies have shown that schizophrenics smoke cigarettes at approximately 4 times the rate of the general population. It has been suggested that nicotine use is a form of self-medication for symptoms in schizophrenia. Smoking behaviors typically begin in adolescence. We assessed effects of nicotine on behavior and brain plasticity in an adolescent rodent model of schizophrenia with the goal of identifying targets for smoking cessation. Methods: Rats were neonatally treated with quinpirole (a D2/D3 agonist) or saline and sensitized …


The Effects Of Nicotine Conditioned Place Preference In D2 Primed Adolescent Rats: Age-Related And Gender Effects., Yoko Emily Ogawa Aug 2007

The Effects Of Nicotine Conditioned Place Preference In D2 Primed Adolescent Rats: Age-Related And Gender Effects., Yoko Emily Ogawa

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated nicotine conditioned place preference (CPP) in two different ages of adolescence using a rodent model of schizophrenia. Both 2- and 3-chambered CPP apparatuses were used to test whether the CPP was due to an aversion to the white chamber. Animals were neontally treated with the dopamine D2/D3 agonist, quinpirole, or saline and raised to either early postweanling age (P 22) or adolescence (P 29). Rats were conditioned to prefer the white chamber using nicotine. Results showed that nicotine induced CPP and appeared to alleviate an increased stress response in D2 primed animals, which …