Utah State University
Project Title: The Rat Electronic Nicotine Delivery System (RENDS): Effects of Age on Self-administration of Inhaled Nicotine in Female Rats
Daniel S. Da Silva is pursuing a doctoral degree in the Behavior Analysis program at Utah State University, under the guidance of Dr. Amy Odum. His thesis focuses on tobacco use, a major cause of preventable death (Reitsma et al., 2021). Nicotine, the main component in tobacco, remains a significant concern (United States Department of Health and Human Services [USDHHS], 2014). Despite a decline in traditional tobacco use, nicotine consumption has surged due to the popularity of e-cigarettes ('vaping'), especially among teenagers, who are the largest consumers (Cullen et al., 2018).
Sex is a crucial factor in influencing human vulnerability to nicotine addiction (Pogun et al. 2017). Findings suggest that women become dependent on nicotine more quickly and have a harder time quitting (Pogun et al., 2017). Also, nicotine may be a stronger reinforcer for women (Chen et al., 2017; Flores et al., 2019; Perkins, 2006); women may be more sensitive to the subjective effects of nicotine (e.g., relaxation) than men (Flores et al., 2019; Perkins et al., 1999). Furthermore, women are more likely to suffer long-term adverse health effects including pulmonary disease and reproductive problems related to fertility/pregnancy (Kong & Krishnan-Sarin, 2017; Sieminska & Jassem, 2014).
This thesis will utilize the Rat Electronic Nicotine Delivery System (RENDS), pioneered by Dr. Odum's laboratory, which ensures completely voluntary snout-only exposure (Odum et al., 2024; Willis-Moore et al., 2023). The study will compare the usage of e-cigarettes between younger and adult female rats by exploring five phases of nicotine taking and extinction to understand use patterns among the two age groups.
With his project the findings can radically change the method of studying nicotine self-administration in laboratory animals. It will improve scientific knowledge by providing the first experiment to compare self-administered vaporized nicotine (vaping) in young and adult female rats. The findings may ultimately influence the development of therapies, medications, and policies to prevent and treat (ENDS) addiction and thus improve human health.
Daniel is grateful to Dr. Amy Odum, Mariah Willis-Moore, Kiernan Callister, and David Legaspi, as well as SABA for supporting the research in his master's thesis.
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