Tolerance to the Effects of Daily Nicotine on Rat Bar Pressing Behavior for Water Reinforcement

DOMINO, E. F. AND M. P. LUTZ. Tolerance to the effects of daily nicotine on rat bar pressing behavior for water reinforcement. PHARMAC, BIOCHEM. BEHAV. 1(4) 445-448, 1973.-The ffects of daily nicotine tartrate given IP in a dose of 0.25 mg/kg twice a day for 15 days was studied on bar pressing behavior for water reinforcement in the rat. A modified FR t 5 schedule was used. Nicotine injections caused an initial disruption of bar pressing behavior with rapid tolerance development. Antidiuretic hormone (5-10 units/kg, SC) administration also suppressed water drinking behavior after an initial latency in contrast to the effects of nicotine. It is concluded that tolerance occurs to daily nicotine administration. Nicotine Bar pressing behavior Water einforcement Tolerance development ALTHOUGH a great deal is known about the acute pharma-cology of nicotine and tobacco smoking, relatively little is known about the behavioral effects of chronic nicotine ad-ministration. This void exists in spite of enormous ums of money spent by the public in maintaining their tobacco smoking habits. Recently Goldstein and his associates have reported some remarkable neuropsychopharmacologieal ef