Biochemistry & Pharmacology: Open Access
Open Access

Collin B Merrill

Publications

• Research Article
  Nicotine Enhances the Excitability of Gaba Neurons in the Ventral Tegmental Area via Activation of Alpha 7 Nicotinic Receptors on Glutamate Terminals
  Author(s): Devin H Taylor, Poromendro N Burman, Micah D Hansen, Rebecca S Wilcox, Brett R Larsen, Jennifer K Blanchard, Collin B Merrill, Jeffrey G Edwards, Sterling N Sudweeks, Jie Wu MD, Hugo R Arias and Scott C SteffensenDevin H Taylor, Poromendro N Burman, Micah D Hansen, Rebecca S Wilcox, Brett R Larsen, Jennifer K Blanchard, Collin B Merrill, Jeffrey G Edwards, Sterling N Sudweeks, Jie Wu MD, Hugo R Arias and Scott C Steffensen
  
  Ventral tegmental area dopamine (DA) and GABA neurons express nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subtypes, whose net activation results in enhancement of DA release in the nucleus accumbens (NAc). This effect decreases after repeated nicotine (NIC) treatment via desensitization. We evaluated the effects of acute NIC on glutamate decarboxylase (GAD67)-positive GABA neurons in the VTA of green fluorescent protein (GFP) knockin (GAD-GFP) mice, and determined the expression of selected nAChR subunits in VTA GABA neurons. In vivo, tachylphylaxis accrued to repeated systemic, but not local administration of NIC. Microelectrophoretic application of NIC and the α7 nAChR partial agonist JN403 markedly enhanced the firing rate of VTA GABA neurons. This activation was suppressed by intraperitoneal administration of the α7 nAChR antagonist methyllycaconitine (MLA, 1 mg/kg), or t.. View More»
  DOI: 10.4172/2167-0501.S1-007

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