n-n--dodecane-1-12-diyl-bis-3-picolinium-dibromide and Disease-Models--Animal

Recent work has shown that the novel compound N,N'-dodecane-1,12-diyl-bis-3-picolinium dibromide (bPiDDB) may selectively block nicotinic acetylcholine receptors involved in regulating dopamine release. The current experiments examined the acute effect of bPiDDB on nicotine self-administration, sucrose-maintained responding, and nicotine-induced changes in acute and sensitized locomotor activity.. Rats were first trained to respond for either nicotine (i.v.) or sucrose pellets using a standard two-lever operant conditioning procedure using a fixed ratio 5 schedule of reinforcement and were then pretreated with bPiDDB (0, 0.3, 1, or 3 mg kg(-1)) 15 min prior to the session. In separate experiments, rats were assessed for nicotine-induced changes in locomotor activity following pretreatment with bPiDDB (1 or 3 mg kg(-1)) or mecamylamine (1 mg kg(-1)); pretreatments were assessed with both acute and repeated nicotine (0.4 mg kg(-1)) treatment.. Results showed that bPiDDB dose-dependently decreased nicotine self-administration, but not sucrose-maintained responding. In the locomotor experiments, bPiDDB attenuated the hyperactivity produced by acute and repeated nicotine; however, this effect was not robust compared to mecamylamine. In contrast to mecamylamine, bPiDDB did not block the initial hypoactivity produced by acute nicotine.. Since bPiDDB decreased nicotine self-administration specifically, this novel nicotinic receptor antagonist may constitute a lead for the development of a clinically useful treatment for tobacco dependence.

Topics: Animals; Conditioning, Operant; Disease Models, Animal; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Infusions, Intravenous; Injections, Subcutaneous; Male; Mecamylamine; Motivation; Motor Activity; Nicotine; Nicotinic Antagonists; Picolines; Premedication; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Self Administration; Sucrose