The motivational valence of nicotine in the rat ventral tegmental area is switched from rewarding to aversive following blockade of the α7-subunit-containing nicotinic acetylcholine receptor

摘要

Within the mammalian ventral tegmental area (VTA), nicotine produces both aversive and rewarding motivational effects. However, the specific neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subtypes responsible for these effects are not clearly understood.