Other components boost nicotine’s effects

Scientists doing animal studies were surprised to discover that nicotine by itself was not that addictive. However, when combined with acetaldehyde, one of the main chemical components of tobacco smoke, they found its addictiveness was increased. Both adult and adolescent rats were given the opportunity to self administer the nicotine-acetaldehyde combination. The adolescent rats quickly learned to self-administer the nicotine-acetaldehyde combination, choosing it significantly more often than saline or either drug alone. The adult rats did not self-administer the nicotine-acetaldehyde mixture or either drug alone at levels significantly higher than saline. The younger adolescents were also more responsive to the drug combination than older adolescents. The research team used similar self-administration tests of cocaine to see whether early adolescence was a period of enhanced vulnerability to drug abuse. Although adolescent rats are more responsive to the nicotine-acetaldehyde mix than adult rats, the young rats were not more responsive to cocaine than adults. Study results appear in the online version of Neuropsychopharmacology

Researchers report a chemical in tobacco smoke enhances the addictive properties of nicotine and teens are most vulnerable to the chemical combination.Scientists doing animal studies were surprised to discover that nicotine by itself was not that addictive. However, when combined with acetaldehyde, one of the main chemical components of tobacco smoke, they found its addictiveness was increased.Both adult and adolescent rats were given the opportunity to self administer the nicotine-acetaldehyde combination. The adolescent rats quickly learned to self-administer the nicotine-acetaldehyde combination, choosing it significantly more often than saline or either drug alone. The adult rats did not self-administer the nicotine-acetaldehyde mixture or either drug alone at levels significantly higher than saline. The younger adolescents were also more responsive to the drug combination than older adolescents.The research team used similar self-administration tests of cocaine to see whether early adolescence was a period of enhanced vulnerability to drug abuse. Although adolescent rats are more responsive to the nicotine-acetaldehyde mix than adult rats, the young rats were not more responsive to cocaine than adults.(Source: Neuropsychopharmacology, Oct 2004)