Influence of nicotine and nitric oxide in the nucleus accumbens on ethanol state-dependent learning

Abstract

Introduction: Nitric oxide synthase enzyme has been detected in the Nucleus accumbens, which is the targetareas of the mesolimbic dopamine pathways. In the present study, the effect of intra-NAc administration of the nitric oxide precursor was investigated on nicotine’s effects in ethanol state-dependent learning. Materials and Methods: Rats were anesthetized with intra-peritoneal injection of ketamine hydrochloride, plus xylazine and two stainless-steel cannuale were placed 2 mm above nucleus accumbens of them. One week later, the animals were trained in a step-through type inhibitory avoidance task. On the test day step-through latency was measured for the assessment of memory in male Wistar rats. Results: Pre-training injection of ethanol induced amnesia (P