Neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) regulate the rewarding actions of
nicotine contained in tobacco that establish and maintain the smoking habit. nAChRs also …

Midbrain dopaminergic (DA) neurons are governed by an endogenous cholinergic system,
originated in the mesopontine nuclei. Nicotine hijacks nicotinic acetylcholine receptors …

Nicotine use can lead to dependence through complex processes that are regulated by both
its rewarding and aversive effects. Recent studies show that aversive nicotine doses activate …

Evidence shows that the neurotransmitter dopamine mediates the rewarding effects of
nicotine and other drugs of abuse, while nondopaminergic neural substrates mediate the …

Preclinical models of addictive drugs have been developed for decades to model aspects of
the clinical experience in substance use disorders (SUDs). These include passive exposure …

Genetic studies have shown an association between smoking and variation at the
CHRNA5/A3/B4 gene locus encoding the α5, α3, and β4 nicotinic receptor subunits. The α5 …

Varenicline, a partial agonist for α4β2* nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) and a full
agonist for α3β4 and α7 nAChRs, is approved for smoking cessation treatment. Although …

Background Most smokers attempting to quit will quickly relapse to tobacco use even when
treated with the most efficacious smoking cessation agents currently available. This …

Plethysmograph measurement of respiratory phenotypes provides a highly sensitive means
to study nicotine response in experimental model animals. We measured average …

Abstract Background and Objectives Both β‐arrestin2 and nicotinic acetylcholine receptor
(nAChR) have been implicated in cognitive processes, particularly in relation to psychiatric …