Combined Exposure to Nicotine and Ethanol in Adolescent Mice Differentially Affects Anxiety Levels during Exposure, Short-Term, and Long-Term Withdrawal

Neuropsychopharmacology advance online publication 25 April 2007


Smoking and consumption of alcoholic beverages are frequently associated during adolescence. This association could be explained by the cumulative behavioral effects of nicotine and ethanol, particularly those related to anxiety levels.

However, despite epidemiological findings, there have been few animal studies of the basic neurobiology of the combined exposure in the adolescent brain.

In the present work we assessed, through the use of the elevated plus maze, the short- and long-term anxiety effects of nicotine (NIC) and/or ethanol (ETOH) exposure during adolescence (from the 30th to the 45th postnatal day) in four groups of male and female C57BL/6 mice

In spite of the fact that generalizations based on the results from a single strain of mice are prone to shortcomings, our results suggest that the deficient response to the anxiolytic effects of ethanol in adolescents co-exposed to nicotine may drive higher ethanol consumption.

Additionally, increased anxiety during long-term smoking and drinking withdrawal may facilitate relapse to drug use.

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