University of Sussex
Browse

File(s) not publicly available

Cortico-thalamic connectivity is vulnerable to nicotine exposure during early postnatal development through a4/ß2/a5 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors

journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-07, 18:14 authored by Christopher J Heath, Sarah KingSarah King, Cecilia Gotti, Michael J Marks, Marina R Picciotto
Tobacco smoke exposure during development can result in lasting alterations in sensory processing and attention. This suggests that some constituent of smoke, such as the primary addictive component, nicotine, alters neurodevelopment. Although many effects of developmental nicotine exposure have been identified in humans and animal models, very few mechanistic studies have identified the molecular and anatomical basis for a defined behavioral consequence of developmental exposure. We show in this study that a mouse model of developmental nicotine exposure results in hypersensitive passive avoidance in adulthood. We have used transgenic mice in which ß2 subunit containing nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (ß2* nAChRs) are expressed exclusively on corticothalamic neurons (ß2 tr(CT) mice) to identify the receptor subtypes involved and also to define the circuit level site of action responsible for this persistent, nicotine-induced behavioral phenotype. Further characterization of the native nAChRs expressed in this circuit indicates that both (a4)2(ß2)3 and (a4)2(ß2)2a5 nAChR subtypes are present in corticothalamic projections. Consistent with a role for (a4)2(ß2)2a5 nAChRs in mediating the effect of developmental nicotine exposure on adult passive avoidance behavior, constitutive deletion of the a5 nAChR subunit also alters this behavior. A critical period for this developmental consequence of nicotine exposure was defined by limiting exposure to the early post-natal period. Taken together, these studies identify a novel consequence of developmental nicotine exposure in the mouse, define the nAChR subtypes and neural circuit involved in this behavioral change and delimit the neurodevelopmental period critical for vulnerability to a behavioral alteration that persists into adulthood.

History

Publication status

  • Published

Journal

Neuropsychopharmacology

ISSN

0893-133X

Publisher

Nature Publishing Group

Issue

12

Volume

35

Page range

2324-2338

Pages

15.0

Department affiliated with

  • Psychology Publications

Full text available

  • No

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2012-02-06

Usage metrics

    University of Sussex (Publications)

    Categories

    No categories selected

    Exports

    RefWorks
    BibTeX
    Ref. manager
    Endnote
    DataCite
    NLM
    DC