Publication Highlight: Synthetic Cooling Agents in E-Cigarettes Enhance Nicotine’s Addictive Grip on the Brain
Key Takeaways Synthetic cooling agents WS-3 and WS-23 — widely used as menthol substitutes in e-cigarettes — significantly enhance nicotine self-administration behavior in mice, matching the reinforcing effects of menthol itself. These coolants boost dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens core, increase the excitability of dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area, and amplify nicotine-induced […]