Nicotine as a gateway drug: Biological mechanism in mice identified

Wednesday, November 2, 2011 - 19:32 in Biology & Nature

A landmark study in mice identifies a biological mechanism that could help explain how tobacco products could act as gateway drugs, increasing a person's future likelihood of abusing cocaine and perhaps other drugs as well, according to researchers. The study is the first to show that nicotine might prime the brain to enhance the behavioral effects of cocaine.

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