Nicotine-induced dendritic remodeling in the insular cortex
Abstract
The insular cortex has emerged as a novel target for nicotine addiction research. One unresolved question about the insular cortex is whether its neurons exhibit nicotine-induced dendritic remodeling similar to other brain regions implicated in nicotine addiction. To test this question, Long-Evans rats were administered nicotine via osmotic pump for two weeks. Thirty-seven days following the end of nicotine dosing, rats were sacrificed for Golgi-Cox staining and pyramidal neurons from the rostral agranular insular cortex were digitally reconstructed in three dimensions. Results from morphometric analyses revealed an increased complexity of dendrites in the insular cortex following nicotine. Increases were found for both total dendrite length and number of bifurcations. Sholl analyses revealed these changes depended on the distance from the soma, with the most prominent changes distributed at distal points along the dendritic tree. A follow-up comparison of length and bifurcation measurements from Sholl analyses suggested that new dendritic branches, rather than growth of existing dendrites, most likely contributed to overall changes in complexity. No change in dendrite morphology was found for apical dendrites. Together, these results show the insular cortex is a target for neuroplasticity following nicotine exposure.
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Noncontingent nicotine exposure induces a lasting increase in dendritic complexity (length/bifurcations) in the aAgIC.
“Noncontingent nicotine exposure has been demonstrated to induce a lasting increase in dendritic complexity (length/bifurcations) in the aAgIC”
From The Insula: A Brain Stimulation Target for the Treatment of Addiction (2019) · cites this paper as Ehlinger et al., 2012
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The Insula: A Brain Stimulation Target for the Treatment of Addiction
Ibrahim, C., Rubin-Kahana, D. S., Pushparaj, A., Musiol, M., Blumberger, D. M., Daskalakis, Z. J., Zangen, A., & Le Foll, B. (2019) · Frontiers in Pharmacology · doi:10.3389/fphar.2019.00720 · Cited by 133 · see citing works
Adolescent nicotine induces persisting changes in development of neural connectivity.
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Self-citationHolliday, E. D., Nucero, P., Kutlu, M. G., Oliver, C., Connelly, K. L., Gould, T. J., & Unterwald, E. M. (2016) · European Journal of Neuroscience · doi:10.1111/ejn.13398 · Cited by 38 · see citing works
- Authors
- Ehlinger, D. G., Bergstrom, H. C., McDonald, C. G., & Smith, R. F.
- Affiliations
- George Mason University (US)
- Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (US)
- Corresponding author
- Ehlinger, Daniel G.
- Venue
- Neuroscience Letters
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2012-05
- Volume
- 516
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 89-93
- ISSN
- 0304-3940 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2111466630
- Cited by
- 20
- References
- 24
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 2 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 1.31
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Neuroscience Letters (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors Study
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Smoking Behavior and Cessation
- Keywords
- nicotine, insula, dendritic remodeling, dendritic morphology, nicotine dependence, neuroplasticity, pyramidal neurons, Sholl analysis, Golgi-Cox staining, Long-Evans rats
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Cerebral Cortex, Dendrites, Male, Neuronal Plasticity, Nicotine, Pyramidal Cells, Rats, Long-Evans, Rats
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