INTRODUCTION: Tobacco addiction has a strong social component. Therefore, nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR) may influence social behavior. Because the β4 nicotinic receptor subunit is important for possibly related behaviors, such as anxiety-like behavior and the effects of nicotine, we studied the social behavior of mice null for the β4 nAChR subunit. METHODS: To measure social behavior, we used the intruder test for social memory in wild-type and littermate β4 null mice. In addition, we used a nonsocial olfactory memory test as a control. RESULTS: In the intruder test, β4 null mice showed social amnesia: Wild-type mice spent less time actively interacting with a younger intruder on Day 2 than on Day 1, but β4 null mice interacted for a similar time on both days. In the nonsocial olfactory memory test, control littermates and β4 null mice learnt the associations to a similar extent, showing that the amnesic phenotype in the intruder test is specific for social settings. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that nAChRs that contain the β4 subunit are important for social behaviors. As those receptors are necessary to observe several effects of nicotine including withdrawal, it is tempting to speculate that the social component of tobacco use is related to the same neuronal circuits responsible for continuing tobacco use in smokers.
INTRODUCTION:Tobacco addiction has a strong social component. Therefore, nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR) may influence social behavior. Because the β4 nicotinic receptor subunit is important for possibly related behaviors, such as anxiety-like behavior and the effects of nicotine, we studied the social behavior of mice null for the β4 nAChR subunit. METHODS: To measure social behavior, we used the intruder test for social memory in wild-type and littermate β4 null mice. In addition, we used a nonsocial olfactory memory test as a control. RESULTS: In the intruder test, β4 null mice showed social amnesia: Wild-type mice spent less time actively interacting with a younger intruder on Day 2 than on Day 1, but β4 null mice interacted for a similar time on both days. In the nonsocial olfactory memory test, control littermates and β4 null mice learnt the associations to a similar extent, showing that the amnesic phenotype in the intruder test is specific for social settings. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that nAChRs that contain the β4 subunit are important for social behaviors. As those receptors are necessary to observe several effects of nicotine including withdrawal, it is tempting to speculate that the social component of tobacco use is related to the same neuronal circuits responsible for continuing tobacco use in smokers.
Authors: W Xu; A Orr-Urtreger; F Nigro; S Gelber; C B Sutcliffe; D Armstrong; J W Patrick; L W Role; A L Beaudet; M De Biasi Journal: J Neurosci Date: 1999-11-01 Impact factor: 6.167
Authors: Li-Shiun Chen; Timothy B Baker; Richard Grucza; Jen C Wang; Eric O Johnson; Naomi Breslau; Dorothy Hatsukami; Stevens S Smith; Nancy Saccone; Scott Saccone; John P Rice; Alison M Goate; Laura J Bierut Journal: Nicotine Tob Res Date: 2011-11-18 Impact factor: 4.244
Authors: S Leonard; L E Adler; K Benhammou; R Berger; C R Breese; C Drebing; J Gault; M J Lee; J Logel; A Olincy; R G Ross; K Stevens; B Sullivan; R Vianzon; D E Virnich; M Waldo; K Walton; R Freedman Journal: Pharmacol Biochem Behav Date: 2001-12 Impact factor: 3.533
Authors: S A Ross; J Y Wong; J J Clifford; A Kinsella; J S Massalas; M K Horne; I E Scheffer; I Kola; J L Waddington; S F Berkovic; J Drago Journal: J Neurosci Date: 2000-09-01 Impact factor: 6.167
Authors: Sudhakar R Subramaniam; Iddo Magen; Nicholas Bove; Chunni Zhu; Vincent Lemesre; Garima Dutta; Chris Jean Elias; Henry A Lester; Marie-Francoise Chesselet Journal: Neurobiol Dis Date: 2018-06-01 Impact factor: 5.996