Nicotine increases sensory gating measured as inhibition of the acoustic startle reflex in rats.

摘要: Chronic nicotine administration has been reported to increase acoustic startle response (ASR) amplitude in rats, which offered as evidence that some dosages of can enhance attention. The present experiments examined effects acutely administered on and pre-pulse inhibition (PPI) rats. PPI, the decrease ASR by a stimulus preceding startle-eliciting event, reflects pre-attentive neural processes underlying sensory gating. Nicotine had biphasic dose effect amplitude, with increases at lower (0.01 mg/kg) decreases higher (0.5-5.0 mg/kg SC). Lower (0.001-0.01 increased PPI 0.001 occurred independently changes amplitude. These results confirm are not dependent upon Results consistent nicotine's enhancements performance cognitive tasks humans first use paradigm model such effects. findings indicate paradigms useful study nicotine.