Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:dateCreated
1990-10-29
pubmed:abstractText
Burst firing in the mesolimbocortical dopamine (DA) neurons, originating in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), is facilitated by systemic administration of nicotine. Pharmacological results show that bursting in VTA-DA cells is critically dependent on a tonic, excitatory amino acid drive, probably originating from the medial prefrontal cortex. Cold inactivation of the prefrontal cortex caused pacemaker-like firing of VTA-DA cells, an effect partly antagonized by systemic nicotine. Clinically, hypofrontality has been associated with negative symptoms in chronic schizophrenia and with chronic alcoholism. Thus, smoking may provide a means to partially restore the dynamics of the VTA-DA system in such disorders. Intravenous nicotine also induces a selective activation of bursting in noradrenaline neurons of the pontine nucleus locus ceruleus. Pharmacological and physiological experiments clearly suggest that this effect is indirect, e.g. peripherally elicited and relayed to the locus ceruleus through its excitatory amino acid input from the paragigantocellular nucleus. The locus ceruleus activation is rapid in onset, dose dependent, short lasting and can be repeated within minutes. This effect of nicotine, which would imply an instant coping response, may be relevant to nicotine dependence, particularly in depressive states.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:issn
0300-5208
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
152
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
169-80; discussion 180-5
pubmed:dateRevised
2006-11-15
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
1990
pubmed:articleTitle
Effect of nicotine on dynamic function of brain catecholamine neurons.
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Review, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't