Summary: A recent study found that some flavorings of e-cigarettes, like vanilla and cherry, can cause reward-seeking behavior in adolescent mice yet without smoking. These flavors alone could unlock the serotonin system in the brain, raising questions about how they might contribute to developing addiction-like conduct.
Particularly, the presence of vanilla-flavored vapors considerably strengthened these behaviors, which are unrelated to smoking. These findings emphasize how adolescents may still be at risk from sweetened smoking products, even those that are advertised as nicotine-free.
Important Information
- Flavor Effects Only: Cherry and vanilla flavors both had higher reward behaviors without smoking.
- The serotonin structure and nicotinic receptors linked to addiction were impacted by flavors in the mind.
- Youth Danger: Flavored nicotine-free vapes perhaps also lead to teen addiction-like behaviors.
Origin: Marshall University
A new study led by academics at the , Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine , finds that taste substances commonly used in e-cigarettes may improve adolescents ‘ ability to vape even when they are not given any smoking.  ,
The experimental study, which was published earlier this month in the , Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, discovered that some well-known flavorings, like coffee and peach, can induce behavior that is similar to that of nicotine exposure, especially in adolescents.  ,
Researchers examined the effects of sweetened vapor on male and female youthful mice, including nicotine-containing combinations and combinations. The study used the novel behavioral model, e-Vape® self-administration ( EVSA ), to test the ability of mice to voluntarily inhale flavorful aerosols.
Despite the absence of smoking, animals exposed to chemical or benzaldehyde displayed significantly more active responses than controls.  ,
Four flavor-nicotine mixtures, including smoking with peppermint, cherry, or chocolate, as well as vanilla flavor only, showed increased reinforcement-related behaviors. Vanilla-flavored mist alone was sufficient to cause habits that indicated reward-seeking, whereas cherry flavor alone was not.  ,
According to lead investigator Brandon J. Henderson, Ph. D.,” These findings are significant because they demonstrate that some electronic nicotine delivery systems ( ENDS ) flavors can modulate the brain’s dopamine system, particularly in the nucleus accumbens, a crucial reward center,” Dr., Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine associate professor of biological sciences.
This raises significant concerns about the possibility of addictions in young people using nicotine-free sweetened vape products.
Further investigation revealed how these flavor chemicals interact at the molecular level, demonstrating that green apple and vanilla extracts have the ability to affect nicotinic acetylcholine receptor ( NAChR ) function, which are proteins that are known to play a significant role in nicotine addiction.  ,
These studies add to a growing body of research showing that sauces may deliberately change the body’s ability to become dependent on nicotine, particularly among young people, Henderson said.
The study’s co-authors include Sarah Maddox, Gabrielle Hammers, Sean Hill, Sydney McSweeney, Sabrina Swenson, and Dami Adeshina, all of whom are Henderson’s co-authors.
Additionally, the co-authors are Marshall University Ph.D. Nathan Olszewski and Samuel Tetteh-Quarshie, both Ph.D. individuals.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse ( DA050717 ) provided funding for the study.
About this information about science study
Author: Sheanna Spence
Source: Marshall University
Contact: Sheanna Spence – Marshall University
Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News
Open access to original analysis
The effects of substance flavorants on reinforcement-related actions in a mouse model of self-administration for smoking, by Brandon J. Henderson and colleagues. Journal of medicine and empirical medicine
Abstract
Effects of chemical flavorants on reinforcement-related behavior in a teen mouse vaping self-administration type
Due to the variety of flavor options that make these devices more appealing, electronic nicotine delivery systems ( ENDS ) are a unique from combustible cigarettes.
Prior preclinical research has demonstrated that menthol and green apple flavorants can modulate dopamine ( DA ) transmission through nicotinic receptor ( nAChR ) modulation in reward-mediating brain regions.
In this study, we examined the effects of the flavors vanilla (vanillin and ethyl vanillin ), and cherry (ethyl vanillin, vanillin, ethyl acetate, ethyl maltol, and maltol ) on reinforcement-related behavior both with and without nicotine.
In an e-Vape® self-administration ( EVSA ) assay, male and female adolescent C57BL/6J mice were used. Four combinations of smoking plus nicotine, smoking plus cherry, smoking plus vanilla, and vanilla only have been shown to increase reinforcement-related behavior.
When compared to command vapor, zero-nicotine cherry-flavored Finishes did not exhibit strong reinforcement-related behavior.
We found that the addition of smoking did not cause significant differences in active nose pokes or deliveries but did have an increased lively to inactive ratio in adolescent male and female mice, as compared to the placebo-free vanilla-flavored ENDS, which did not cause any significant differences in that behavior.
Additionally, we discovered that vanilla alone could control the nucleus accumbens ( NAc ) core’s tonic and phasic release of dopamine.
We also examined the actual interactions between the coffee and green apple tastes on nicotinic subunits.
These data provide more proof that some chemical tastes encourage vaping-related behaviors without including smoking.
