Lasting synaptic changes underlie attention deficits caused by nicotine exposure during adolescence

Danielle S Counotte; Natalia A Goriounova; Ka Wan Li; Maarten Loos; Roel C van der Schors; Dustin Schetters; Anton N M Schoffelmeer; August B Smit; Huibert D Mansvelder; Tommy Pattij; Sabine Spijker

doi:10.1038/nn.2770

Lasting synaptic changes underlie attention deficits caused by nicotine exposure during adolescence

Nat Neurosci. 2011 Apr;14(4):417-9. doi: 10.1038/nn.2770. Epub 2011 Feb 20.

Authors

Danielle S Counotte¹, Natalia A Goriounova, Ka Wan Li, Maarten Loos, Roel C van der Schors, Dustin Schetters, Anton N M Schoffelmeer, August B Smit, Huibert D Mansvelder, Tommy Pattij, Sabine Spijker

Affiliation

¹ Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

PMID: 21336271
DOI: 10.1038/nn.2770

Abstract

Tobacco smoking and nicotine exposure during adolescence interfere with prefrontal cortex (PFC) development and lead to cognitive impairments in later life. The molecular and cellular underpinnings of these consequences remain elusive. We found that adolescent nicotine exposure induced lasting attentional disturbances and reduced mGluR2 protein and function on presynaptic terminals of PFC glutamatergic synapses. Restoring mGluR2 activity in vivo by local infusion of a group II mGluR agonist in adult rats that received nicotine as adolescents rescued attentional disturbances.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Age Factors
Animals
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / chemically induced*
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / diagnosis
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / physiopathology*
Cognition Disorders / chemically induced*
Cognition Disorders / diagnosis
Cognition Disorders / physiopathology*
Disease Models, Animal
Humans
Rats
Synaptic Transmission / drug effects*
Synaptic Transmission / physiology
Tobacco Use Disorder / complications
Tobacco Use Disorder / diagnosis
Tobacco Use Disorder / physiopathology*