Nicotine administration in the wake‐promoting basal forebrain attenuates sleep‐promoting effects of alcohol

Abstract

Nicotine and alcohol co-abuse is highly prevalent, although the underlying causes are unclear. It has been suggested that nicotine enhances pleasurable effects of alcohol while reducing aversive effects. Recently, we reported that nicotine acts via the basal forebrain (BF) to activate nucleus accumbens and increase alcohol consumption. Does nicotine suppress alcoholinduced aversive effects via the BF? We hypothesized that nicotine may act via the BF to suppress sleep-promoting effects of alcohol. To test this hypothesis, adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were implanted with sleep-recording electrodes and bilateral guides targeted toward the BF. Nicotine (75 pmol/ 500 nL/side) or artificial cerebrospinal fluid (ACSF; 500 nL/ side) was microinjected into the BF followed by intragastric alcohol (ACSF + EtOH and NiC + EtOH groups; 3 g/kg) or water (NiC + W and ACSF + W groups; 10 mL/kg) administration. On completion, rats were killed and processed to localize injection sites in the BF. The statistical analysis revealed a significant effect of treatment on sleep-wakefulness. While rats exposed to alcohol (ACSF + EtOH) displayed strong sleep promotion, nicotine pre-treatment in the BF (NiC + EtOH) attenuated alcohol-induced sleep and normalized sleep-wakefulness. These results suggest that nicotine acts via the BF to suppress the aversive, sleep-promoting effects of alcohol, further supporting the role of BF in alcohol-nicotine co-use.

Lesion of the basal forebrain cholinergic neurons attenuates sleepiness and adenosine after alcohol consumption

“…Inter‐animal variability was controlled by normalizing NREM delta power to obtained relative NREM delta power [NREM delta power/total power (1–20 Hz)] (Sharma et al . ).…”

“…; Sharma et al . , ). On completion, rats were left undisturbed for 18 days to allow for maximal lesions of cholinergic neurons to occur (Kalinchuk et al .…”

Combined Influence of Smoking and Alcohol Drinking on Suicidal Ideation and Attempts among Korean Adults: Using Data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2008~2011

“…음주와 흡연은 대표적인 물질중독 현상으로 평소 스트레스 에 현명하게 대처하지 못하는 사람들에게서 주로 발생한다 [17]. 알코올은 중추신경을 억제하여 긴장을 완화시키고 졸음 을 유발하며, 니코틴은 중추신경을 자극하여 정신을 각성시키 는 효과를 가진다 [17].…”

“…알코올은 중추신경을 억제하여 긴장을 완화시키고 졸음 을 유발하며, 니코틴은 중추신경을 자극하여 정신을 각성시키 는 효과를 가진다 [17]. 따라서 많은 사람이 음주와 흡연을 함께 하면 나른함과 각성감을 동시에 즐길 수 있어서 동시행위에 끌 리게 된다 [17].…”

“…알코올은 중추신경을 억제하여 긴장을 완화시키고 졸음 을 유발하며, 니코틴은 중추신경을 자극하여 정신을 각성시키 는 효과를 가진다 [17]. 따라서 많은 사람이 음주와 흡연을 함께 하면 나른함과 각성감을 동시에 즐길 수 있어서 동시행위에 끌 리게 된다 [17]. 또한 음주와 흡연이 장기간 지속될 경우, 신체 에서 세로토닌 부전을 초래하여 충동적인 공격심의 발현으로 자살행동 위험성을 증가시킬 수 있는 것으로 보고되고 있다 [18].…”