Nicotine and the Developing Brain: Insights from Preclinical Models

Overview

Journal Pharmacol Biochem Behav

Publisher Elsevier

Specialties Biochemistry
Pharmacology
Psychology
Social Sciences

Date 2022 Feb 17

PMID 35176350

Authors

Deirdre M McCarthy

Lin Zhang

Bradley J Wilkes

David E Vaillancourt

Joseph Biederman

Pradeep G Bhide

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Use of tobacco products during pregnancy is associated with increased risk for neurodevelopmental disorders in the offspring. Preclinical models of developmental nicotine exposure have offered valuable insights into the neurobiology of nicotine's effects on the developing brain and demonstrated lasting effects of developmental nicotine exposure on brain structure, neurotransmitter signaling and behavior. These models have facilitated discovery of novel compounds as candidate treatments for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, a neurodevelopmental disorder associated with prenatal nicotine exposure. Using these models the significance of heritability of behavioral phenotypes from the nicotine-exposed pregnant female or adult male to multiple generations of descendants has been demonstrated. Finally, research using the preclinical models has demonstrated synergistic interactions between developmental nicotine exposure and repetitive mild traumatic brain injury that contribute to "worse" outcomes from the injury in individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder associated with developmental nicotine exposure.

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