Age‐ and sex‐related differences in alcohol and nicotine effects in C57BL/6J mice

Abstract

The present studies were aimed to identify possible age- and/or sex-related differences in the effects of alcohol and nicotine. Study 1 examined age-related differences in alcohol and nicotine effects. Adolescent and adult C57BL/6J male mice were injected with alcohol or nicotine. Results indicated that alcohol and nicotine induced hypothermia and reduced locomotor activity in both adolescent and adult mice. In both dependent variables, adults were more affected than adolescents that received the same alcohol or nicotine dose. Study 2 examined possible sex-related differences in the effects of these drugs. Results replicated the aged-related differences revealed in Study 1 after alcohol or nicotine administration in male mice. No sex-related differences were observed in alcohol effects. However, young animals of both sexes and adult females appeared to be more resistant to nicotine effects. In both studies, blood alcohol concentrations and cotinine plasma concentrations were assessed. These results suggest that young C57BL/6J mice are more resistant to both alcohol and nicotine effects. In addition, adult females may be more resistant to acute nicotine effects on temperature and locomotion.

Nicotine Dependence and Reward Differ between Adolescent and Adult Male Mice

“…However, it does not correlate with the data from our acute studies in which adolescent and adult mice displayed no significant differences in three of four measures in responses to acute nicotine. In contrast, a previous study in C57BL /6J mice found that adults were more affected by nicotine in both hypothermia and locomotor activity tests (Lopez et al, 2003). Certainly, strain and dosing differences could contribute to this discrepancy.…”

Sex differences in response to nicotine in C57Bl/6:129SvEv mice

“…To examine sex differences following acute nicotine administration, we evaluated behaviors sensitive to acute exposure to nicotine, such as locomotor activity and antinociception. Previous studies ( Hatchell & Collins, 1980 ;Lopez et al, 2003 ) in mice of inbred strains show that females are less sensitive than males to nicotineinduced hypolocomotion, in agreement with our observations. In contrast, sex differences were not observed in mice of the ICR outbred strain ( Damaj, 2001 ).…”

“…Studies in mice also have observed sex differences. For example, female mice of different inbred strains are less sensitive than male mice to the depressant effects of nicotine on spontaneous motor activity ( Hatchell & Collins, 1980 ;Lopez, Simpson, White, & Randall, 2003 ), although no sex differences were observed between male and female mice of the outbred strain ICR ( Damaj, 2001 ). Differences in nicotine-induced antinociception also have been observed.…”

Stress and Hypothermia in Mice in A Nose-Only Cigarette Smoke Exposure System

“…Our observation that smoke exposure caused a dose-dependent further decrease in body temperature indicates that the inhalation of cigarette smoke decreases body temperature as such. This has previously been observed in rats (Altland et al, 1978) and is in accordance with observations on the hypothermic effects of inhalation of carbon monoxide and/or nicotine (Altland & Rattner, 1979;Lopez et al, 2003). In fact, inhalation of a wide range of xenobiotic substances such as ozone, acrylates, and formaldehyde (Watkinson et al, 2001;Jaeger & Gearhart, 1982;Silver et al, 1981) elicits a hypothermic response in rodents.…”