Examining the Effects of Chronic Nicotine Exposure on Dopamine-Mediated Reinforcement Learning using Optical Intracranial Self-Stimulation

Nicotine use has started to skyrocket since tobacco-free products rose in popularity, namely e-cigarettes and oral pouches (Zyns). For smokers, it is more common to use nicotine in conjunction with other substances than to just use nicotine alone. Opioid users in particular have an overwhelmingly high incidence of smoking, with estimates as high as 85-90% of users.

Furthermore, clinical studies show that halting nicotine use when seeking treatment for substance use disorders actually increases the likelihood of success. So, what is nicotine doing in the brain that makes it so hard to quit other drugs? This study examines the effect that chronic nicotine (cNIC) exposure has on the circuits that mediate reward, using optical intrancranial self-stimulation (oICSS) as a method of direct reinforcement.