The benefits and drawbacks of nicotine exposure in the cortex and hippocampus of old rats

Nicotine is the main alkaloid of tobacco and possesses well-established stimulant effects. Previous reports show that nicotine at low doses improves memory functions, while high doses impair memory. This study aims to analyze the effects of nicotine (NIC) on inhibitory avoidance task and on DNA dama...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Neurotoxicology (Park Forest South) 2007-05, Vol.28 (3), p.562-568
Main Authors: Barros, D.M., Galhardi, F.G., Ferreira, J.L. Ribas, Guterres, L.B., Dickel, O., Geracitano, L.A., Izquierdo, I., Monserrat, J.M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Antioxidants - metabolism
Avoidance Learning - drug effects
Biological and medical sciences
Cerebral Cortex - drug effects
Cerebral Cortex - growth & development
Comet Assay
Cortex
DNA damage
DNA Damage - drug effects
Free Radical Scavengers - metabolism
Hippocampus
Hippocampus - drug effects
Hippocampus - growth & development
Lipid Peroxidation - drug effects
Lipid Peroxides - metabolism
Medical sciences
Memory
Memory - drug effects
Memory, Short-Term - drug effects
Nicotine
Nicotine - pharmacology
Nicotine - toxicity
Nicotinic Agonists - pharmacology
Nicotinic Agonists - toxicity
Oxidative stress
Oxidative Stress - drug effects
Rats
Rats, Wistar
Reactive Oxygen Species - metabolism
Tobacco, tobacco smoking
Toxicology
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Summary:Nicotine is the main alkaloid of tobacco and possesses well-established stimulant effects. Previous reports show that nicotine at low doses improves memory functions, while high doses impair memory. This study aims to analyze the effects of nicotine (NIC) on inhibitory avoidance task and on DNA damage, reactive oxygen species (ROS) concentration, total antioxidant capacity, and lipid peroxidation in cortex and hippocampus of old rats. Male Wistar rats of 24–26 months old (620–700 g) were exposed i.p. to two doses (0.3 and 1 mg/kg) of NIC daily during 9 days. The treatment NIC 0.3 enhanced long-term memory ( p < 0.05), whereas NIC 1 improved both short and long-term memories ( p < 0.05). DNA damage was observed only in hippocampus ( p < 0.05) after NIC 1 exposure. A similar result was obtained for ROS: higher levels were detected at NIC 1 treatment in hippocampus ( p < 0.05). No alterations in the total antioxidant capacity were verified after NIC exposure (0.3 and 1 mg/kg) in both tissues ( p > 0.05). Finally, evidence of oxidative damage was observed in terms of lipid peroxides levels, being higher at NIC 1 in hippocampus ( p < 0.05). Overall the results indicate that deleterious effects paralleled the improved short and long-term memories at the highest NIC dose, since augmented DNA damage, ROS concentration and lipid peroxides levels were registered.
ISSN:0161-813X
1872-9711
DOI:10.1016/j.neuro.2007.02.003