Chronic nicotine exposure attenuates the effects of Δ9‐tetrahydrocannabinol on anxiety‐related behavior and social interaction in adult male and female rats

Abstract Introduction: Anxiogenic and anxiolytic effects of cannabinoids are mediated by different mechanisms, including neural signaling via cannabinoid receptors (CBRs) and nicotinic cholinergic receptors (nAChRs). This study examined the effects of prior nicotine (the psychoactive component in tobacco) exposure on behavioral sensitivity to delta‐9‐tetrahydrocannabinol (THC; the psychoactive component of cannabis) challenge in animals. Methods: Male and female adult Sprague‐Dawley rats (N = 96) were injected daily with nicotine (1 mg/kg, i.p.) or vehicle for 14 days, followed by a 14‐day