Cognition, Behavior, and Memory
Author: Leandro Rocco | Email: lrocco@fmed.uba.ar
Leandro Rocco 1°, Ramon Bernabeu 1°
1° IFIBIO UBA CONICET
In this study we aimed to evaluate whether grouped exposure to nicotine elicits different responses to those of individuals exposed in isolation and whether these responses varied with the concentration of nicotine used.
By exposing fish to either a grouped or an isolated CPP Protocol we observed that grouped Nicotine exposure elicits a stronger, more robust CPP. When Nicotine concentration is risen to 50mg/L, however, the animals exposed as a group show negative CPP scores as opposed to the isolated exposure that continue to elicit higher values of CPP score in both 15mg/L and 50mg/L conditions. These results may indicate that being exposed as a group enhanced the effects of nicotine to a point that higher concentrations resulted in an exacerbation of its negative, anxiogenic effects, outweighing its rewarding, anxiolytic properties. Fish tested in isolation regardless of being conditioned as a group or not showed no difference in mean speed, time spent in the upper half of the tank and other behavioural parameters commonly associated with anxiety. Interestingly, fish conditioned in isolation to 15mg/L displayed a higher distance swum when in the drug-paired side of the tank in comparison with grouped exposure that yielded similar CPP values. This behaviour could be associated with a higher seeking component in fish that underwent an isolated conditioning as opposed to fish being conditioned as a group regardless of the CPP score obtained by both conditions.