Nicotine

Question 1

Nicotine Acts as an

Answer 1

agonist at the nicotinic
acetylcholine receptor (NAChR)

Question 2

Nicotine Acute toxicity marked by

Answer 2

nausea,
vomiting, faintness, profuse
sweating, hypothermia, decrease
blood pressure, unconsciousness

Question 3

Administration

Answer 3

oral (chewing tobacco), inhalation
(cigarettes, cigars, and pipes), intranasal
(insufflation – snuff), transdermal (patch)

Question 4

Nicotine reaches the brain from the lungs

Answer 4

~ 7
seconds after inhalation
Much faster than intravenous injection

Question 5

nicotine is metabolized

Answer 5

Metabolized in the liver to various metabolites

Question 6

nicotine Rate of liver metabolism proportional to the

Answer 6

addictive potential in humans

Question 7

Faster metabolism →

Answer 7

more addictive

Question 8

High affinity NAChR found in (8)

Answer 8

cortex,
thalamus,
striatum,
hippocampus,
substantia nigra,
ventral tegmental area,
locus coeruleus,
raphe nuclei

Question 9

Peripheral receptors are found in the

Answer 9

autonomic ganglia (sympathetic and
parasympathetic)

Question 10

Reinforcement of nicotine

Answer 10

Cholinergic inputs to the VTA are responsible for activating mesolimbic dopamine neurons.

Question 11

Nicotine activates NAChR on the

Answer 11

mesolimbic dopamine projections from the VTA to the nucleus accumbens to moderate nicotine’s reinforcing effects.

Question 12

Nicotine is a psychostimulant…

Answer 12

sometimes

Question 13

Nicotine is a psychostimulant… sometimes (current smokers)

Answer 13

increased calmness and relaxation
increases performance on cognitive tasks
Increases attention
Enhances mood

Question 14

Nicotine is a psychostimulant… sometimes (non-smokers)

Answer 14

anxiety,
heightened tension,
lightheadedness,
dizziness
nausea
Nicotine in high doses decreases reaction time

Question 15

Nicotine decreases

Answer 15

reaction time in a
trial requiring sustained visual attention.

Question 16

Reaction time tests Current smokers had a

Answer 16

greater
sensitivity to nicotine than did nonsmokers s (lower doses of nicotine effective
at reducing reaction time)

Question 17

Reaction time tests Abstinent smokers had a

Answer 17

longer
reaction time than non-smokers

Question 18

reaction time findings

Answer 18

the stimulant effects of nicotine
may at best compensate for a deficit.

Question 19

Tolerance and Dependence nicotine

Answer 19

Nicotine is well known to develop acute
and chronic tolerance and dependence

Question 20

Acute tolerance of nicotine develops due to

Answer 20

inactivation of NAChR

Question 21

After first cigarette of the day nicotine
remains high enough in blood to

Answer 21

desensitize NAChR

Question 22

nicotine levels drop

Answer 22

overnight or with several hours
of abstinence

Question 23

Chronic tolerance of nicotine

Answer 23

• Animals given a single high dose of nicotine
  show decreased locomotion
• With daily injections locomotor supression
  subsides and is replaced by locomotor
  activation

Question 24

In humans green-tobacco illness is a
reaction common in

Answer 24

workers harvesting
tobacco

Question 25

Self-administration

Answer 25

In animal models, exposure during
adolescence increases self-administration
of nicotine later in life

Question 26

In animal models, exposure during
adolescence increases self-administration
of nicotine later in life - suggests

Answer 26

adolescence is a particularly
vulnerable period for development of
addictions.

Question 27

Addictions treatment - Replacement therapies

Answer 27

Nicotine patches, gum, vapes

Question 28

Addictions treatment - Antidepressants

Answer 28

Bupropion – non-competitive NAChR
antagonist & DA reuptake inhibitor

Question 29

Varenicline (Champix) – partial agonist
at the

Answer 29

NAChR

Question 30

Varenicline (Champix) – partial agonist
at the NAChR - induces

Answer 30

mesolimbic DA, reduces craving

Question 31

Partial agonism can reduce the

Answer 31

response to
nicotine

Question 32

AUTONOMIC EFFECTS

Answer 32

Nicotine acts in the autonomic nervous system

Question 33

Nicotine acts in the autonomic nervous system

Answer 33

Increased heart rate
Elevated blood pressure

Question 34

Physiological arousal may contribute to

Answer 34

reinforcement

Question 35

Physiological arousal may contribute to reinforcement

Answer 35

Increases risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke

Question 36

Parasympathetic activation and nicotine

Answer 36

increased acid secretion in stomach → ulcer
Increased peristalsis in bowel → chronic diarrhea

Question 37

NICOTINE POISONING early symptoms (8)

Answer 37

Nausea/vomiting
salivation,
abdominal pain/diarrhea
cold sweat,
headache,
confusion,
dizziness,
weakness

Question 38

NICOTINE POISONING early symptoms followed by

Answer 38

Drop in BP, fainting, breathing difficulty

Question 39

if nicotine poisoning is left untreated

Answer 39

Convulsions
Respiratory failure due to depolarization block of diaphragm

Question 40

Why do people smoke?

Answer 40

Mood effects
Satiety

Question 41

Mood effects of smoking

Answer 41

Chronic smoking decreases
monoamine oxidase levels in the
brain and periphery

Question 42

Chronic smoking decreases
monoamine oxidase levels in the
brain and periphery - Increased monoamines

Answer 42

(DA, 5-HT, NE

Question 43

Chronic smoking decreases
monoamine oxidase levels in the
brain and periphery

Answer 43

Antidepressant effects

Question 44

Satiety and smoking

Answer 44

suppresses appetite - Weight gain common rebound effect of
cessation

Question 45

Many of the stimulant effects are
proposed to act only to attenuate

Answer 45

withdrawal-associated deficits

Question 46

Withdrawal of nicotine includes

Answer 46

irritability,
stress, poor concentration