Abstract
Nicotine addiction is a complex behavioural alteration, in which many neuronal pathways and neurotransmitters are involved. For a long time, dopamine has been considered one of the most important neurotransmitters in mediating the rewarding effects of nicotine. In addition, a great amount of research suggests that the endogenous cannabinoid and opioid systems play an overall modulatory effect on the reward circuitry and participate in the addictive properties of most of the prototypical drugs of abuse. This review focuses on recent behavioural and biochemical data involving these systems in the different processes that contribute to tobacco addiction. A possible role for the endogenous cannabinoid and opioid systems in the rewarding properties of nicotine as well as in the development of nicotine physical dependence and relapse to nicotine-seeking behaviour will be examined. According to preclinical studies, clinical trials suggest that the manipulation of these systems with cannabinoid or opioid antagonists could be a potential therapeutical strategy for treating nicotine addiction.
Keywords: Nicotine, addiction, cannabinoid, opioid, reward, withdrawal syndrome, relapse, self-administration
Current Drug Targets
Title: Endogenous Cannabinoid and Opioid Systems and their Role in Nicotine Addiction
Volume: 11 Issue: 4
Author(s): Rafael Maldonado and Fernando Berrendero
Affiliation:
Keywords: Nicotine, addiction, cannabinoid, opioid, reward, withdrawal syndrome, relapse, self-administration
Abstract: Nicotine addiction is a complex behavioural alteration, in which many neuronal pathways and neurotransmitters are involved. For a long time, dopamine has been considered one of the most important neurotransmitters in mediating the rewarding effects of nicotine. In addition, a great amount of research suggests that the endogenous cannabinoid and opioid systems play an overall modulatory effect on the reward circuitry and participate in the addictive properties of most of the prototypical drugs of abuse. This review focuses on recent behavioural and biochemical data involving these systems in the different processes that contribute to tobacco addiction. A possible role for the endogenous cannabinoid and opioid systems in the rewarding properties of nicotine as well as in the development of nicotine physical dependence and relapse to nicotine-seeking behaviour will be examined. According to preclinical studies, clinical trials suggest that the manipulation of these systems with cannabinoid or opioid antagonists could be a potential therapeutical strategy for treating nicotine addiction.
Export Options
About this article
Cite this article as:
Maldonado Rafael and Berrendero Fernando, Endogenous Cannabinoid and Opioid Systems and their Role in Nicotine Addiction, Current Drug Targets 2010; 11 (4) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/138945010790980358
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/138945010790980358 |
Print ISSN 1389-4501 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1873-5592 |
- Author Guidelines
- Graphical Abstracts
- Fabricating and Stating False Information
- Research Misconduct
- Post Publication Discussions and Corrections
- Publishing Ethics and Rectitude
- Increase Visibility of Your Article
- Archiving Policies
- Peer Review Workflow
- Order Your Article Before Print
- Promote Your Article
- Manuscript Transfer Facility
- Editorial Policies
- Allegations from Whistleblowers
Related Articles
-
Neuropsychological Findings in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and its Potential Implications for Treatment
Current Psychiatry Reviews Planar Cell Polarity Signaling in Collective Cell Movements During Morphogenesis and Disease
Current Genomics The Endocannabinoid System: A New Molecular Target for the Treatment of Tobacco Addiction
CNS & Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets The Brainstem Tau Cytoskeletal Pathology of Alzheimer’s Disease: A Brief Historical Overview and Description of its Anatomical Distribution Pattern, Evolutional Features, Pathogenetic and Clinical Relevance
Current Alzheimer Research Apathy Is not Associated with Performance in Brief Executive Tests in Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment and Mild Alzheimers Disease
Current Alzheimer Research Definition of Genes and Paths Involved in Alzheimers Disease: Using Gene Expression Profiles and Chemical Genetics at the Mouse Brain Level
Current Genomics Untangling Alzheimer’s Disease Clinicoanatomical Heterogeneity Through Selective Network Vulnerability – An Effort to Understand a Complex Disease
Current Alzheimer Research Neurological Substrate of Central Auditory Processing Deficits in Children
Current Pediatric Reviews Oxidative Stress in the Early Stage of Psychosis
Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry Feline Immunodeficiency Virus Model for Designing HIV/AIDS Vaccines
Current HIV Research On Some Physiological Aspects of Ethanol Repercussion on Neural and Cardiorenal Functions
Central Nervous System Agents in Medicinal Chemistry The Novel Object Recognition Test in Rodents in Relation to Cognitive Impairment in Schizophrenia
Current Pharmaceutical Design Genome-Scale Technologies Foster Advances in Neurological and Behavioral Research
Current Psychiatry Reviews Carisoprodol: Abuse Potential and Withdrawal Syndrome
Current Drug Abuse Reviews 5'-Nucleotidases, Nucleosides and their Distribution in the Brain: Pathological and Therapeutic Implications
Current Medicinal Chemistry From Cochlear Cell Death Pathways To New Pharmacological Therapies
Mini-Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry Beta-Caryophyllene, a CB2R Selective Agonist, Protects Against Cognitive Impairment Caused by Neuro-inflammation and Not in Dementia Due to Ageing Induced by Mitochondrial Dysfunction
CNS & Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets Stress as a Pathophysiological Factor in Functional Somatic Syndromes
Current Psychiatry Reviews Schizophrenia: A Systematic Review of the Disease State, Current Therapeutics and their Molecular Mechanisms of Action
Current Medicinal Chemistry Adenosine and the Auditory System
Current Neuropharmacology