The role of high affinity nicotinic acetylcholine receptors on anxiety-like behavior: a study in female mice

<p>Tobacco dependence is high in women who suffer from anxiety disorders yet little is known about the contributions of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) on anxiety-like behavior. β2*nAChRs (*denotes assembly with other subunits) are the most abundantly expressed nAChRs in the brain yet little is known about the contributions of β2*nAChRs on anxiety-like behavior in female mice. In this study, antagonism and nicotine effects on anxiety-like behavior was investigated across the life span in 6, 12 and 24-month-old drug-naïve knockout (KO), heterozygous (HET) and a gain of function α6L9S mice and wild type (WT). HET mice showed increased sensitivity to di-hydrobeta-erythroidine compared to WT mice. Aged mice showed decreased locomotor activity and exploratory behavior compared to younger mice. Low doses of nicotine produced anxiolytic-like effects, whilst a high dose of nicotine produced anxiogenic-like effects. Activation of the α6*nAChRs supports an anxiolysis-like phenotype. These results implicate α4β2*nAChRs and α6β2*nAChRs in anxiety-like behavior.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Pharmacology & Toxicology

Year dc:date.available

2012

Author dc:creator

• Hall, Jessicka

Contributors dc:contributor

• Darlene Brunzell
• Xiangning Chen
• Keith Shelton

• Animal Behavior
• Behavioral Sciences
• Nicotinic receptors
• Anxiety
• Female mice
• Medical Pharmacology
• Medical Sciences
• Medicine and Health Sciences

Statement dc:rights

• © The Author

Identifier

https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/415

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarscompass.vcu.edu:etd-1414