Effects of chronic nicotine pretreatment on (+)-amphetamine and nicotine-induced synthesis and release of [3H]dopamine from [3H]tyrosine in rat nucleus accumbens.

The effects of chronic (14 day) administration of nicotine (1.5 mg kg-1 day-1) on the rat nucleus accumbens have been examined. Pretreatment of animals with nicotine increased the endogenous level of dopamine. The ability of (+)-amphetamine to stimulate formation and release of [3H]dopamine from [3H]tyrosine was greatly potentiated in tissue slices from the nucleus accumbens of rats pretreated with nicotine. Furthermore, nicotine was effective in stimulating the formation and release of from [3H]dopamine from [3H]tyrosine in tissue slices from chronic nicotine-treated animals.