Differential effects of nAChR modulators on impulsive action in a nicotine self-administration Go/No-Go task in rats.
- 1Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States.
- 2Department of Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, Dallas, TX, United States.
Abstract
Introduction
Tobacco use disorder is a chronic condition characterized by compulsive nicotine use, withdrawal, and relapse following abstinence. Impulsivity contributes to persistent nicotine use and poor cessation outcomes. This study examined whether nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) modulators alter impulsive action in a nicotine self-administration Go/No-Go task in male and female rats.Methods
Rats acquired intravenous nicotine self-administration and were then trained in a Go/No-Go procedure in which active lever presses were reinforced during Go periods but not during No-Go periods. Impulsive action was quantified as the percentage of active lever responses during No-Go periods relative to total active responses. We then assessed the effects of varenicline (0.1-3 mg/kg), nicotine (0.1-0.6 mg/kg), and the nAChR antagonist mecamylamine (0.5-2 mg/kg) in the Go/No-Go procedure.Results
Varenicline and nicotine pretreatment reduced active responding during both Go and No-Go periods, whereas mecamylamine selectively reduced responding during No-Go periods. Mecamylamine decreased the percentage of active responses during No-Go trials, indicating reduced impulsive action during nicotine self-administration. In contrast, nicotine and varenicline did not alter response allocation, suggesting that their effects reflected nonspecific reductions in responding rather than changes in impulsive action. No sex differences were observed. Substituting saline for nicotine during self-administration did not alter active responding during Go periods, but rats in the saline group had fewer active responses during No-Go periods than rats in the nicotine group.Discussion
These results demonstrate differential effects of nAChR modulators on impulsive action during nicotine self-administration. This work supports the utility of Go/No-Go self-administration task for investigating nAChR-dependent modulation of impulsive action during nicotine self-administration.
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BibTeX
@article{chellian2026differential,
title = {{Differential effects of nAChR modulators on impulsive action in a nicotine self-administration Go/No-Go task in rats.}},
author = {Ranjithkumar Chellian and Guido Huisman and Lara Caglayan and Adriaan W Bruijnzeel},
journal = {Frontiers in pharmacology},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.3389/fphar.2026.1883945},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42835367},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Differential effects of nAChR modulators on impulsive action in a nicotine self-administration Go/No-Go task in rats.
AU - Ranjithkumar Chellian
AU - Guido Huisman
AU - Lara Caglayan
AU - Adriaan W Bruijnzeel
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/21
JO - Frontiers in pharmacology
DO - 10.3389/fphar.2026.1883945
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42835367
AB - Introduction Tobacco use disorder is a chronic condition characterized by compulsive nicotine use, withdrawal, and relapse following abstinence. Impulsivity contributes to persistent nicotine use and poor cessation outcomes. This study examined whether nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) modulators alter impulsive action in a nicotine self-administration Go/No-Go task in male and female rats.Methods Rats acquired intravenous nicotine self-administration and were then trained in a Go/No-Go procedure in which active lever presses were reinforced during Go periods but not during No-Go periods. Impulsive action was quantified as the percentage of active lever responses during No-Go periods relative to total active responses. We then assessed the effects of varenicline (0.1-3 mg/kg), nicotine (0.1-0.6 mg/kg), and the nAChR antagonist mecamylamine (0.5-2 mg/kg) in the Go/No-Go procedure.Results Varenicline and nicotine pretreatment reduced active responding during both Go and No-Go periods, whereas mecamylamine selectively reduced responding during No-Go periods. Mecamylamine decreased the percentage of active responses during No-Go trials, indicating reduced impulsive action during nicotine self-administration. In contrast, nicotine and varenicline did not alter response allocation, suggesting that their effects reflected nonspecific reductions in responding rather than changes in impulsive action. No sex differences were observed. Substituting saline for nicotine during self-administration did not alter active responding during Go periods, but rats in the saline group had fewer active responses during No-Go periods than rats in the nicotine group.Discussion These results demonstrate differential effects of nAChR modulators on impulsive action during nicotine self-administration. This work supports the utility of Go/No-Go self-administration task for investigating nAChR-dependent modulation of impulsive action during nicotine self-administration.
SN - 1663-9812
ER -