nicotine psychopharmacology

nicotine is the major psychoactive product in

tobacco

e-ciggarates

1. nicotine is often found in vapes

vape mechanism

1. adds a nicotine containing liquid to battery device

2. battery heats the liquid until nicotine vapor is inhaled

nicotine pharmokinetics

• 8-10 mg of nicotine is ingested

• 25% enters bloodstream

• liver metabolizes 80-90% of nicotine through CYP-2A6 enzyme

nicotine activates the neurotransmitter

• nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs)

• nicotine is an agonist (increases activity) at these receptors

nicotine in the limbic system

• increases dopamine in the limbic system

• nicotonic receptors on neurons in VTA cause dopamine into nucleus accumbens

• release of acetylecholine may improve memory

Nicotine in the PNS

• increases blood pressure

• releases epinephrine (