Nicotine Addiction (Neurobiology)

Question 1

What is nicotine?

From which family of plants?

Answer 1

An alkaloid from the nightshade plants (tobacco, eggplant, tomatoe)

Question 2

What is the principle psychoactive ingredient in tobacco

Answer 2

Nicotine

Question 3

What does nicotine bind to in the brain?

Answer 3

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors

Question 4

Nicotinic acetylcholine Receptor

Answer 4

• ligand gated ion channel
• 2 binding sites (both need to be engaged)
• binding of ligand (ach) opens a cation channels and depolarises the neuron

Question 5

Which pRt of the brain dose nicotinic acetylcholine bind?

Answer 5

In the VTA

NICOTINE binds in the mesolimbic pathway VTA&raquo_space; (nucleus accumbens)

Question 6

What does nicotine activate?

Answer 6

The a4b2 nicotinic receptors

Question 7

Desensitisation of which receptors results from chronic exposure to nicotine and upregulation of receptors??

Answer 7

a4b2 receptors

Question 8

Which Receptor subunit is responsible for the most withdrawal symptoms

Answer 8

B2

Question 9

Withdrawal treatments

3

Answer 9

NRT

BUPROPRION

VARENICLINE

Question 10

Which cessation med is more Vffective?

Answer 10

Vareniciline

Partial agnoisr at a4b2 nAChR
IT BLOCKS NICOTINE, but still allows alittle DA release

Question 11

Class and MOA of Bupropion

Answer 11

Atypical antidepressant

Non nicotinic agent

Enhances Noradrenaline and DA neurotransmission by blocking reuptake

Agonist at a4b2 nAChR to prevent pleasurable effects of nicotine