The data set describing cognitive performance after varenicline administration in a 3-choice serial reaction time task in rats

The data shows attentional function, impulsivity, motivation, motor function, and motor activity in rats treated with varenicline, a stop-smoking aid. The data also shows these parameters in rats treated with varenicline after acute/chronic nicotine administration. Our interpretation and discussion of these data were described in the article “Varenicline Provokes Impulsive Action by Stimulating α4β2 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors in the Infralimbic Cortex in a Nicotine Exposure Status-Dependent Manner” (Ohmura et al., 2017) [1].


a b s t r a c t
The data shows attentional function, impulsivity, motivation, motor function, and motor activity in rats treated with varenicline, a stopsmoking aid. The data also shows these parameters in rats treated with varenicline after acute/chronic nicotine administration. Our interpretation and discussion of these data were described in the article "Varenicline Provokes Impulsive Action by Stimulating α4β2 Nicotine and/or varenicline administration

Experimental features
Adult male Wistar/ST rats were used.

N/A
Data accessibility All data were presented here.

Value of the data
The effects of stop-smoking aids on cognitive functions were of interest to many people. Some researchers might be interested in some parameters we did not focus on in the research paper [1].
Clinicians can design human studies based on the animal data.
The raw data would be useful if one would like to conduct reanalysis or meta-analysis.

Data
Data file 1 contains the raw data regarding Fig. 1 in [1]: several parameters (see below, Section 2) in a 3-choice serial reaction time task (3-CSRTT) in nicotine-naïve rats. Data file 2 contains the raw data regarding Fig. 2 in [1]: several parameters in the 3-CSRTT in nicotine-naïve rats after varenicline administration followed by microinjection of a α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist into the infralimbic cortex (IL). Data file 3 contains the raw data regarding Fig. 3 in [1]: several parameters in the 3-CSRTT in nicotine-naïve rats after acute s.c. injection of nicotine and varenicline. Data file 4 contains the raw data regarding Figs. 4 and 5 in [1]: several parameters in the 3-CSRTT after continuous infusion of nicotine and acute/repeated oral administration of varenicline.

Experimental design, materials and methods
We used a 3-choice serial reaction time task to assess impulsivity and other cognitive functions in rats [1]. We recorded seven behavioral parameters, as described below. As for data file 1, nicotine naïve rats received acute s.c. injection of varenicline (0, 0.0075, 0.075, and 0.75 mg/kg) 60 min before the testing session.
As for data file 3, nicotine naïve rats received acute s.c. injection of varenicline (0, 0.0075, 0.075, and 0.75 mg/kg, s.c.) 60 min before the testing session and acute s.c. injection of nicotine (0 and 0.2 mg/kg) 10 min before the testing session. The dose of nicotine was the same as that used in our previous studies, demonstrating that nicotine induced impulsive action [2,3].
As for data file 4, rats received acute oral administration of varenicline (0.075 mg/kg) 60 min before the testing session after 8 days of continuous nicotine (9 mg/kg/day, salt) or sodium tartrate administration with osmotic minipumps. The blood concentrations resulting from this dose in rats are comparable to those measured in heavy smokers [4,5]. Repeated oral administration of varenicline (0.075 mg/kg, once per day) was conducted after stopping continuous nicotine infusion.