Cited by 258Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors StudySmoking Behavior and CessationNeurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior

Nicotine as a modulator of behavior: beyond the inverted U

Picciotto, Marina R·2003·Trends in Pharmacological Sciences

Abstract

Nicotine is the crucial component in tobacco that underlies smoking behavior; however, the effects of nicotine can vary in both human and animal studies. Recent data from knockout mouse studies, neurotransmitter release studies and electrophysiological experiments support the hypothesis that conflicting behavioral effects elicited by nicotine can result from the activation of different subtypes of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and the stimulation of antagonistic neuronal pathways. Thus, small differences in the activation state, connectivity or sensitivity of neuronal pathways among individuals might result in large differences in behavioral responses to nicotine. An understanding of the molecular and cellular processes that oppose nicotine reinforcement will be crucial for the development of new interventions to initiate smoking cessation or to prevent the transition from occasional smoking to dependence.

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Crossref · 10.1016/s0165-6147(03)00230-x

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77 of 77 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • Nicotine can modulate behavioral function bidirectionally, acting as a stimulant and increasing anxiety under some conditions and decreasing activity and anxiety in others.

    “The result of this circuit-level integration is that nicotine can modulate behavioral function bidirectionally, acting as a stimulant and increasing anxiety under some conditions and decreasing activity and anxiety in others (Picciotto 2003).”

    From Mechanisms of Nicotine Addiction (2021) · cites this paper as Picciotto 2003

  • nAChRs are expressed throughout the brain on excitatory and inhibitory neurons, with the ability to increase inhibition when excitation is high and increase excitation when circuits are less active.

    “nAChRs are expressed throughout the brain on both excitatory and inhibitory neurons, with the ability to increase inhibition of circuits when excitation is high and to increase excitation when circuits are less active (Picciotto 2003).”

    From Mechanisms of Nicotine Addiction (2021) · cites this paper as Picciotto 2003

  • Nicotine follows an inverted U-shaped dose-response curve, and smokers titrate intake to get rewarding effects while avoiding aversive effects of high doses.

    “Nicotine follows an inverted U-shaped dose-response curve [18, 60], and smokers titrate their nicotine intake to experience the rewarding while avoiding the aversive effects produced by high nicotine doses [61–64].”

    From Mechanistic insights into nicotine withdrawal (2011) · cites this paper as [60]

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Authors
Picciotto, M. R.
Affiliations
Yale University (US)
Corresponding author
Picciotto, Marina R
Venue
Trends in Pharmacological Sciences
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2003-09
Volume
24
Issue
9
Pages
493-499
ISSN
0165-6147 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2049324875
Cited by
257
References
79
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 15 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 13 · 2013: 15 · 2012: 14
FWCI
1.27
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Trends in Pharmacological Sciences (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health
  • National Institute on Drug Abuse (DA14241, DA 10455, DA84733, DA 00436)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors Study
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Smoking Behavior and Cessation
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
Keywords
nicotine, nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, receptor subtypes, nicotine reinforcement, smoking behavior, nicotine dependence, smoking cessation, neural pathways, knockout mice, neurotransmitter release, electrophysiology
MeSH terms
Animals, Behavior, Humans, Nicotine, Receptors, Nicotinic, Smoking, Nicotinic Agonists, Mice

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