Activated glutamatergic neurons in basolateral amygdala suppress nicotine preference behavior in mice

Despite the knowledge of the health risks of smoking, exposure to nicotine leads to smoking habits. Clarifying the neuronal mechanism of smoking preference formation underlying the development of smoking habits has a great impact on the establishment of effective smoking cessation therapies. In this study, the brain regions that determine the preference for oral nicotine intake in the two-bottle test were investigated. The activity of glutamatergic neurons reduced in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) of mice with a high preference for nicotine. Chemogenetic activation of glutamatergic neurons in the BLA decreased nicotine intake preference. These results indicate that glutamatergic neurons in the BLA modulate the preference for nicotine. This study presents a potential treatment strategy for smoking cessation that involves regulating the activity of glutamatergic neurons in the BLA.