Neuronal communication in the mammalian brain relies on the presynaptic release of neurotransmitters which bind to ligand-gated ion channels found on postsynaptic neurons to modulate neuronal excitability. One such neurotransmitter is acetylcholine (ACh), a small molecule that is the signalling messenger of the cholinergic system. The cholinergic system is involved in a variety of behavioural functions including motor activity, sensory function, and higher executive commands. Dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) and the basal ganglia in general have long been implicated in initiation and completion of voluntary movement. Studies have shown that cholinergic neurons from two brainstem nuclei, the laterodorsal tegmental nucleus and the pedunculopontine nucleus, project onto substantia nigra dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the midbrain and release ACh, GABA or both to modulate motor behaviours. However, with prior research primarily focused on demonstrating the phenomenon of co-transmission itself, the subcellular distribution and dynamics of ACh and GABA release onto SN DA neurons receiving co-transmitted inputs largely remains to be investigated. The present study investigates the spatial and physiological properties of ACh/GABA co- transmission from brainstem cholinergic axons synapsing onto medial SN DA neurons to understand its role in tuning the neuron’s excitatory-inhibitory balance. To that end, we developed a channelrhodopsin (ChR2)-based functional input mapping technique with high spatial resolution to probe the dendritic distribution of ACh and GABA synaptic inputs onto DA neurons in ChATcre::ChR2 mice. Using this technique, we discovered three different types of monosynaptic inputs from cholinergic axons onto DA cells: co-transmitted ACh/GABA, GABA only, and ACh only. Furthermore, we revealed a somatodendritic patterning of cholinergic input distribution onto DA cells with a predominant GABA conductance along the lateral dendrites and a soma-centered mix ACh/GABA transmission. Physiological findings were corroborated using immunolabeling against VGAT and VAChT, which showed many closely spatially clustered ACh and GABA- specific cholinergic terminals and few truly colocalized VAChT and VGAT terminals. This result revealed that true co-transmission represents a minority of the presynaptic mode of release from cholinergic axons onto medial SN DA neurons, and that the majority actually share closely spatially clustered ACh and GABA-specific cholinergic terminals. To investigate the dynamic properties of soma-centered ACh/GABA transmission, we restricted our stimulation field to the cell body to measure the contribution of nAChR and GABAR-mediated conductances without recruiting the lateralized population of primary GABA inputs. We then employed a deconvolution method to understand the relative plasticity of contributions of nAChRs and GABARs to ACh/GABA transmission onto DA cells. We confirmed an initial dominant GABAergic component of ACh/GABA transmission that was previously reported. However, we found that the GABAergic contribution had a greater decay compared to the ACh component with repeated stimulations. As such the predominant initial inhibition is followed by a subsequent equalization of excitatory and inhibitory conductances. Finally, we performed similar experiments to compare the short-term plasticity of the isolated GABA conductance during 15 Hz stimulation between the populations of mix ACh/GABA inputs proximally and the population of primary GABA inputs found on the lateral dendrites 160 μm from the cell body. Interestingly, the lateral GABA component was more sustained across repeated stimulations compared to the proximal GABA conductance, suggesting a differential contribution to excitation/inhibition balance by spatially distributed populations of ACh and GABA inputs from cholinergic axons onto the dendrites of medial SN DA neurons. To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine the distribution and dynamics of ACh/GABA transmission onto midbrain DA system using fine-scale ChR2-assisted subcellular input mapping and conductance deconvolution. / Graduate / 2022-04-12

The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that early-stage heart failure differentially affects the intrinsic cardiac nervous system's capacity to regulate cardiac function. After 2 wk of rapid ventricular pacing in nine anesthetized canines, cardiac and right atrial neuronal function were evaluated in situ in response to enhanced cardiac sensory inputs, stimulation of extracardiac autonomic efferent neuronal inputs, and close coronary arterial administration of neurochemicals that included nicotine. Right atrial neuronal intracellular electrophysiological properties were then evaluated in vitro in response to synaptic activation and nicotine. Intrinsic cardiac nicotine-sensitive, neuronally induced cardiac responses were also evaluated in eight sham-operated, unpaced animals. Two weeks of rapid ventricular pacing reduced the cardiac index by 54%. Intrinsic cardiac neurons of paced hearts maintained their cardiac mechano- and chemosensory transduction properties in vivo. They also responded normally to sympathetic and parasympathetic preganglionic efferent neuronal inputs, as well as to locally administered α- or β-adrenergic agonists or angiotensin II. The dose of nicotine needed to modify intrinsic cardiac neurons was 50 times greater in failure compared with normal preparations. That dose failed to alter monitored cardiovascular indexes in failing preparations. Phasic and accommodating neurons identified in vitro displayed altered intracellular membrane properties compared with control, including decreased membrane resistance, indicative of reduced excitability. Early-stage heart failure differentially affects the intrinsic cardiac nervous system's capacity to regulate cardiodynamics. While maintaining its capacity to transduce cardiac mechano- and chemosensory inputs, as well as inputs from extracardiac autonomic efferent neurons, intrinsic cardiac nicotine-sensitive, local-circuit neurons differentially remodel such that their capacity to influence cardiodynamics becomes obtunded.

This review is a brief summary of the effects of nicotine on neural plasticity and behavior, with a focus on the preclinical literature and the effects of nicotine on neurotrophic factors. Focus areas include underlying mechanisms of nicotine addiction and the therapeutic potential for nicotine and nicotinic receptor agonists in Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, traumatic brain injury, as well as cutting across these different areas of research with a brief review of the antiinflammatory effects of nicotine. It is clear that agonists at nicotinic receptors have therapeutic potential, but this should be weighed in the context of the effects of nicotine across the brain and its enhancement of neurotrophic factors. Although nicotine may have neuroprotective properties, it is important to keep in mind that these same effects underlie its addictive characteristics.

The generation of complex behaviors often requires the coordinated activity of diverse sets of neural circuits in the brain. Activation of neuronal circuits drives behavior. Inappropriate signaling can contribute to cognitive disorders such as epilepsy, Parkinson’s, and addiction (Nordberg et al., 1992; Quik and McIntosh, 2006; Steinlein et al., 2012). The molecular mechanisms by which the activity of neural circuits is coordinated remain unclear. What are the molecules that regulate the timing of neural circuit activation and how is signaling between various neural circuits achieved? While much work has attempted to address these points, answers to these questions have been difficult to ascertain, in part owing to the diversity of molecules involved and the complex connectivity patterns of neural circuits in the mammalian brain. My thesis work addresses these questions in the context of the nervous system of an invertebrate model organism, the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. The locomotory circuit contains two subsets of motor neurons, excitatory and inhibitory, and the body wall muscle. Dyadic synapses from excitatory neurons coordinate the simultaneous activation of inhibitory neurons and body wall muscle. Here I identify a distinct class of ionotropic acetylcholine receptors (ACR-12R) that are expressed in GABA neurons and contain the subunit ACR-12. ACR-12R localize to synapses of GABA neurons and facilitate consistent body bend amplitude across consecutive body bends. ACR-12Rs regulate GABA neuron activity under conditions of elevated ACh release. This is in contrast to the diffuse and modulatory role of ACR-12 containing receptors expressed in cholinergic motor neurons (ACR-2R) (Barbagallo et al., 2010; Jospin et al., 2009). Additionally, I show transgenic animals expressing ACR-12 with a mutation in the second transmembrane domain [ACR-12(V/S)] results in spontaneous contractions. Unexpectedly, I found expression of ACR-12 (V/S) results in the preferential toxicity of GABA neurons. Interestingly loss of presynaptic GABA neurons did not have any obvious effects on inhibitory NMJ receptor localization. Together, my thesis work demonstrates the diverse roles of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in the regulation of neuronal activity that underlies nematode movement. The findings presented here are broadly applicable to the mechanisms of cholinergic signaling in vertebrate models.

Parmi les facteurs de risque environnementaux de l'arthrose, la consommation de tabac occupe une place importante, mais reste encore controversée. Parmi les 4000 composés présents dans la cigarette, la nicotine est l'une des molécules les plus actives physiologiquement. Au cours de ce travail, nous avons étudié l'impact de la nicotine sur les chondrocytes humains et la prolifération et la différenciation chondrogénique des cellules souches mésenchymateuses de la gelée de Wharton (CSM-GW). Nous avons trouvé que la nicotine aux concentrations utilisées n’a pas d’effet sur la prolifération cellulaire, mais induit une augmentation de l’expression de la métalloproteinase matricielle (MMP13) dans les chondrocytes humains. Ces données suggèrent que la nicotine a un effet pro-catabolique sur les chondrocytes humains, en stimulant la dégradation des composants matriciels. Chez des patients arthrosiques fumeurs, les voies de synthèse et de dégradation des composants matriciels sont plus activées dans les chondrocytes par rapport aux non fumeurs. De plus, la nicotine inhibe la prolifération et la migration cellulaire de CSM-GW, et présente un effet délétère sur la chondrogénèse de CSM-GW. Elle stimule la réaction inflammatoire et la différenciation hypertrophique. Nous avons montré, pour la première fois, l'expression du nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR), en particulier de la sous unité α7 dans les CSM-GW aux niveaux transcriptionnel et traductionnel. L’effet délétère de la nicotine sur les CSM-GW serait probablement médiée par la sous unité α7 nAChR, De façon intéressante, l’α-Bungarotoxin (α-BTX), inhibiteur spécifique de α7 nAChR, peut réverser cet effet partiellement. En conclusion, nous suggérons que la nicotine pourrait altérer l’ontogenèse du cartilage, et induire potentiellement l’augmentation de la prévalence de l’arthrose chez l’adulte / Among the environmental risk factors for osteoarthritis (OA), tobacco consumption features prominently but is still controversial today. Among the 4,000 compounds present in cigarette smoke, nicotine is one of the most physiologically active molecules. The aim of the study is to measure the impact of nicotine on human chondrocytes and on the proliferation and chondrogenic differentiation of Wharton’s Jelly stem cells (WJ-MSC). We found that nicotine at the concentrations used had no effect on the proliferation of primary human OA chondrocytes, but induced an increase in the expression of matrix metalloproteases (MMP13). It unravels the catabolic effects of nicotine in the joint by stimulating matrix degradation. This result suggests a pro-catabolic effect of nicotine in the joint by stimulating matrix degradation. In smokers, the synthesis as well as the degradation pathways in chondrocytes are stimulated, when compared to no smokers. In addition, the cell proliferation and migration of WJ-MSC were significantly impaired by nicotine, and it also had an adverse effect on the chondrogenesis of WJ-MSC by stimulating the inflammatory response and hypertrophic differentiation. We have shown, for the first time, the expression of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR), in particular that of the α7 subunit in the WJ-MSC at the transcriptional and translational levels. The adverse effect of nicotine on WJ-MSC was probably mediated by α7 nAChR. Interestingly, α-Bungarotoxin (α-BTX), a specific inhibitor of α7 nAChR, could partially reverse this effect. In conclusion the results show that nicotine has an adverse effect on the ontogenesis of cartilage, and potentially induces an increase in the prevalence of osteoarthritis in adults

Les macrophages jouent un rôle dans l'inflammation de certaines pathologies pulmonaires comme l'asthme et la broncho pneumopathie chronique obstructive. Selon la dichotomie Th1 et Th2, les macrophages s'activent en phénotype M1/M2 en fonction du microenvironnement. Sous l'influence du lipopolysaccharide (LPS) les macrophages s'activent en phénotype M1. A l'inverse, l'exposition aux cytokines Th2 (interleukine (IL)-4/IL-13) induit un phénotype M2 des macrophages. Nous avons réalisé une étude transcriptomique des marqueurs de la polarisation M1/M2 des macrophages pulmonaires humains. La polarisation M1 induite par le LPS augmente la production des cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, CCL2, 3, 4, 5, CXCL1, 8, 10), de la PGE2 et l'expression du CD38 et CD197. La polarisation M2 induite par l'IL-4/IL-13 augmente l'expression des cytokines (CCL13, 17, 22, 26), de la 15-lipoxygénase (15-LOX) et du CD206. Nous avons évalué l'expression des 15-LOX-1 et 15-LOX-2 et leur rôle dans la régulation de la polarisation des macrophages pulmonaires. Le LPS augmente l'expression de la 15-LOX-2 alors que l'IL-4/IL-13 augmente l'expression de la 15-LOX-1. L'inhibition des 15-lipoxygénases diminue la production des cytokines M1/M2. Enfin, nous avons étudié l'expression et le rôle du récepteur nicotinique α7 dans la polarisation des macrophages pulmonaires humains. Ces derniers expriment les récepteurs nicotiniques α7 dont la stimulation par des agonistes nicotiniques α7 diminue la production des cytokines M1/M2. Ce travail apporte de nouvelles connaissances sur la polarisation des macrophages, dont certaines voies de régulation peuvent être impliquées dans les pathologies inflammatoire pulmonaires / In pulmonary diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, macrophages orchestrate inflammatory reactions. In response to environmental signals, macrophages exhibit a phenotypic polarization that mirrors the Th1/Th2 polarization. Upon exposure to bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS), macrophages undergo M1 polarization. In contrast, interleukin (IL)-4/IL-13 induce M2 polarization.In our first study, we characterized the phenotypic differentiation of human lung macrophages (LM) using a whole-transcriptome approach. Cytokines, lipid metabolism and membrane markers were among the most affected genes. LPS-induced M1 polarization was associated with an increase in the production of cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, CCL2, 3, 4, 5, CXCL1, 8, 10), in PGE2 signalling and in the expression of CD38 and CD197. IL-4/IL-13-induced M2 macrophages increased expression of cytokines (CCL13, 17, 22, 26), 15-lipoxygenase (15-LOX) and CD206. In the second study, we investigated the expression of 15-LOX-1 and 15-LOX-2 and their roles in regulating the polarization of human LM. LPS increased the expression of 15-LOX-2 whereas IL-4/IL-13 induced the expression of 15-LOX-1. Inhibition of the 15-LOX pathways decreased the production of both M1 and M2 cytokines. The third study investigated the expression of α7 nicotinic receptors (α7nAChR) and their regulating roles in the polarization of LM. Expression of α7nAChR was found in unstimulated LM. Specific α7nAChR agonists decreased the in vitro production of both M1 and M2 cytokines. Our work adds new insights in the macrophage polarization and some of the regulatory pathways that may be involved in pulmonary diseases

Bien que la maladie d’Alzheimer (MA) soit la cause de démence la plus fréquente, lesmécanismes qui sous-tendent les déficits cognitifs chez les patients restent mal connus.Cependant, les peptides amyloïdes (Aβ) semblent être un acteur majeur impliqué dansl’apparition des troubles mnésiques au cours de l’évolution de la maladie, notamment de parleur capacité à induire un hypofonctionnement du système cholinergique associé au déclinmnésique. Sur la base de ces observations, le rôle joué par les récepteurs cholinergiquesnicotiniques α7 (α7-nAChRs) a été largement étudié, au vue de leur capacité à interagir avecles Aβ, sans toutefois dégager un consensus quant à l’implication de ces récepteurs dans lesdéficits mnésiques induits par les Aβ.Afin d’améliorer notre compréhension quant aux mécanismes sous-tendant les effetsdélétères induits par les Aβ dans les déficits mnésiques, notre travail visait à identifier le rôlejoué par les récepteurs α7-AChRs via une approche comportementale, pharmacologique etmoléculaire. Ainsi, nous avons utilisé un modèle « souris » basé sur des injections de formesoligomériques d’Aβ(1-42) (Aβo(1-42)) dans la région CA1 de l’hippocampe dorsal (dCA1),structure cérébrale impliquée dans les processus mnésiques, atteinte de manière précoce dansla MA et exprimant fortement les récepteurs α7-nAChRs.La première partie de cette étude a consisté à mettre au point et à valider notre modèleanimal d’étude des effets induits par les Aβo(1-42) dans le dCA1 par une approchecomportementale et moléculaire. Nous montrons que les injections répétées d’Aβo(1-42) dans ledCA1 induisent une perturbation spécifique de la mémoire de travail alors que la mémoirespatiale est préservée lorsque les performances mnésiques sont évaluées 7 jours après ladernière injection. Nous avons également montré que cette perturbation de la mémoire detravail est associée à une absence d’activation/phosphorylation de ERK1/2 au sein du réseauhippocampo-frontal et septo-hippocampique. Ces données nous ont permis de valider notremodèle expérimental permettant d’étudier spécifiquement l’impact des Aβo(1-42) dansl’hippocampe dorsal.Dans une seconde partie, nous nous sommes focalisés sur le rôle joué par lesrécepteurs α7-nAChRs dans les perturbations mnésiques induites par les Aβo(1-42). Nosrésultats montrent que (1) les souris KOα7 ne présentent pas de déficits de mémoire de travailconsécutivement aux injections intra-dCA1 d’Aβo(1-42), (2) les déficits mnésiques ainsi que lala perturbation de l’activation de ERK1/2 induits par les Aβo(1-42) sont compensés par destraitements pharmacologiques agoniste partiel et antagoniste des récepteurs α7-nAChRs, (3)le traitement par un agoniste complet des récepteurs α7-nAChRs ne permet pas de prévenir lesdéficits mnésiques. Au regard de ces résultats, le récepteur α7-nAChRs semble être essentielau développement des déficits mnésiques induits par les Aβo(1-42), et l’utilisationd’antagonistes de ces récepteurs pourraient être une cible potentielle pour le développementde nouvelles stratégies thérapeutiques. / Although Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has been considered as one of the major causesfor dementia, the mechanisms by which cognitive decline appear still remain unclear.However, amyloid-β peptides (Aβ) seem to play a central role in the appearance of memoryimpairments in the time course of the disease, inducing down-regulation of the cholinergicsystem which is associated with cognitive decline. Based on these observations, the role of α7nicotinic receptors (α7-nAChRs) which can interact with Aβ was widely studied withoutconsensus about the involvement of these receptors in memory deficits induced by Aβ.In order to improve our knowledge about the mechanisms involved in Aβ side effects,our work aims at identify the role of α7-nAChRs via behavioral and molecular approaches.Thus, we used a mice model based on injections of oligomeric assemblies of Aβo(1-42) (Aβo(1-42)) in the CA1 field of the dorsal hippocampus (dCA1) which is a brain structure stronglyinvolved in memory processes, precociously affected in the AD and with a high density of α7-nAChRs.The first part of this study was to develop and validate this animal model to studythe effects induced by Aβo(1-42) in the dCA1 by behavioral and molecular approaches. Weshow that repeated injections of Aβo(1-42) in the dCA1 induce a specific disruption of workingmemory 7 days after the last injection whereas spatial memory is spared. We also showed thatworking memory disturbance is associated with decreased activation / phosphorylation ofERK1 / 2 in the hippocampo-frontal and septo-hippocampal networks. These data allowed usto validate our experimental model to specifically study the impact of Aβo(1-42) into the dorsalhippocampus.In the second part, we focused on the role played by the α7- nAChRs receptors inmemory disturbances induced by Aβo(1-42). Our results show that (1) KOα7 mice do notexhibit working memory deficits consecutively to intra-dCA1 Aβo(1-42) injections, (2) thememory deficits and decreasing activation of ERK1/2 induced by Aβo(1-42) are offset bypharmacological treatments partial agonist and antagonist of α7-nAChRs receptors, (3)treatment with a full agonist of α7-nAChRs receptors does not prevent memory deficits .Given these results, the α7-nAChRs receptor appears to be essential to the development ofmemory deficits induced by Aβo(1-42), and the use of antagonists of these receptors might be apotential target for developing new therapeutic strategies for AD.

Neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are ligand-gated cation channels that most notably influence dopamine (DA) release. In this thesis, I examine the role of nAChRs in mediating DA-related behaviors such as movement and drug dependence. To accomplish this, I utilized a “gain-offunction” knock-in mouse (the Leu9’Ala line) containing agonist-hypersensitive α4* nAChRs (* indicates other nAChR subunits in addition to α4 are within the receptor complex) that renders receptors 50-fold more sensitive to nicotine and acetylcholine than wild-type (WT) receptors. I found that DHβE, a selective antagonist for α4β2* nAChRs, induced reversible and robust motor dysfunction characterized by hypolocomotion, akinesia, catalepsy, tremor, and clasping in Leu9’Ala but not WT mice. Reversal of the phenotype was achieved by targeting dopamine signaling. Blockade of mutant α4* nAChRs elicited activation of brain regions in the basal ganglia including dorsal striatum and substantia nigra pars reticulata indicated by c-Fos immunoreactivity. These data indicate that blocking α4* nAChRs in Leu9’Ala mice activates the indirect motor pathway resulting in a motor deficit. We also determined that α4* nAChRs involved in motor behaviors did not contain the α6 subunit, a nAChR subunit highly expressed in DAergic neurons suggesting that different nAChR subtypes modulating striatal DA release have separate functions in motor output. Conditioned place aversion and hypolocomotion, behaviors elicited during nicotine withdrawal, were also induced by DHβE in nicotine-naïve Leu9’Ala but not WT mice. Together these data suggest that DHβE globally reduces DA release in the CNS. In a separate project, I determined that α4* and α6* nAChRs modulate drug-induced hypnosis. Activation of nAChRs increased sensitivity to ketamine-induced hypnosis; whereas antagonizing nAChRs had the opposite effect. Additionally, α4 knockout (KO) mice were less sensitive to the hypnotic effects of ketamine, but α6 KO were more sensitive. High doses of ethanol induce an anesthesia-like state characterized by immobility, analgesia, and hypnosis. Testing the effects of ethanol hypnosis in α4 KO revealed that α4* nAChR do not play a large role in the acute effects of ethanol-induced hypnosis, but are involved in tolerance to this ethanol-induced behavior. The mechanisms of anesthetic-induced hypnosis are still largely unclear, despite the wide use of anesthesia. Future work on these receptors and their involvement in the anesthetic response will help to define a mechanism for hypnosis and improve the use of anesthetic drugs.

Recently, the medial habenula-interpeduncular (MHb-IPN) axis has been hypothesized to modulate anxiety although neuronal populations and molecular mechanisms regulating affective behaviors in this circuit are unknown. Here we show that MHb cholinergic neuron activity directly regulates anxiety-like behavior. Optogenetic silencing of MHb cholinergic IPN inputs reduced anxiety-like behavior in mice. MHb cholinergic neurons are unique in that they robustly express neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), although their role as autoreceptors in these neurons has not been described. nAChRs are ligand-gated cation channels that are activated by the excitatory neurotransmitter, acetylcholine (ACh), as well as nicotine, the addictive component of tobacco smoke. We expressed novel nAChR subunits that render nAChRs hypersensitive to ACh, ACh detectors, selectively in MHb cholinergic neurons of adult mice. Mice expressing these ACh detectors exhibited increased baseline anxiety-like behavior that was alleviated by blocking the mutant receptors. Under stressful conditions, such as during nicotine withdrawal, nAChRs were functionally upregulated in MHb cholinergic neurons mediating an increase in anxiety-like behavior. Together, these data indicate that MHb cholinergic neurons regulate anxiety via signaling through nicotinic autoreceptors and point toward nAChRs in MHb as molecular targets for novel anxiolytic therapeutics.

Nicotine dependence is hypothesized to be due to neuroadaptations that ultimately drive compulsive nicotine use. The studies in this thesis aim to understand how the “upregulation” of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) caused by chronic exposure to nicotine contributes to nicotine reward and nicotine withdrawal. Previous studies have shown that chronic nicotine induces upregulation of nAChRs containing the α4 subunit (α4* nAChR) within the Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA), a brain region critical for the rewarding properties of all illicit drugs. Curiously, α4* nAChR upregulation occurs specifically in the inhibitory GABAergic neuronal subpopulation of the VTA. To determine if increased expression and activation of α4* nAChRs in VTA GABAergic neurons contributes to nicotine dependence behaviors, I devised a viral-mediated, Creregulated gene expression system that selectively expressed α4 nAChR subunits containing a “gain-of-function” point mutation (a leucine mutated to a serine residue at the TM2 9´ position: Leu9´Ser) in VTA GABAergic neurons of adult mice. Sub-reward doses of nicotine were sufficient to activate VTA GABAergic neurons in mice expressing Leu9´Ser α4 nAChR subunits in VTA GABAergic neurons (Gad2VTA: Leu9´Ser mice) and exhibited acute hypolocomotion upon initial injection of low doses of nicotine that developed tolerance with subsequent nicotine exposures compared to control animals. In the conditioned place preference procedure, nicotine was sufficient to condition a significant place preference in Gad2VTA: Leu9´Ser mice at low nicotine doses that failed to condition control animals. I conclude from these data that upregulating α4* nAChRs on VTA GABAergic neurons increases sensitivity to nicotine reward. In a separate study testing the hypothesis that overexpression of Leu9´Ser α4* nAChRs in VTA GABAergic neurons disrupts baseline behavior and promotes anxiety-like behaviors, I found that overexpressing Leu9´Ser α4* nAChRs in VTA GABAergic neurons had a minimal effect on unconditioned anxiety-like behaviors. Drug naïve Gad2VTA: Leu9´Ser and control mice failed to exhibit any behavioral differences in the open-field, marble burying test and elevated plus maze compared to control. Together, these data indicate that overexpression of the “gain-of-function” α4* nAChRs in VTA GABAergic neurons contributes to reward sensitivity without increasing susceptibility to nicotine withdrawal symptoms. My data indicates that nAChRs expressed in VTA GABAergic neurons may be a suitable target for the development of better smoking cessation aids.