Nicotine self-administration in rats.

Considering the importance of self-administration models in determining mechanisms of drug maintained behavior, we attempted to replicate the findings of nicotine self-administration by Corrigall and Coen. Male, Sprague-Dawley rats, trained on food reinforcement, acquired relatively high and stable rates of self-administration of IV nicotine bitartrate (0.03 mg/kg, free base). Extinction and reacquisition followed substituting saline and then nicotine, respectively. Responses, infusions and intake decreased at 0.003 mg/kg, while intake increased at 0.06 mg/kg. This model of nicotine self-administration provides a reliable alternative to experimenter-administration models for examining the effects of nicotine.