Effects of Nicotine and Its Withdrawal on The Postnatal Development of Rat Mitral Cells

Abstract

INTRODUCTIONCigarette smoking is considered the most prevalent type of substance dependence, causing serious public health-related problems worldwide. Nicotine is the main chemical substance in cigarettes with cognitive-enhancing effects that make it hard to quit smoking (Valentine and Sofuoglu, 2018; Fowler et al., 2020). Many brain imaging reports have shown activation of the brain centers responsible for attention and working memory performance after nicotine exposure (Rose et al., 2003). Nicotine also acts as an agonist in presynaptic nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, thus facilitating the synaptic release of several neurotransmitters (Singer et al., 2004).