Tobacco is the single largest cause of avoidable death in the EU and currently 15% of all deaths in the EU can be attributed to smoking. The majority of smokers started smoking during adolescence, below the age of 20. Adolescent tobacco use increases the risk for developing drug abuse and cognitive and anxiety disorders in later life.

Nicotine is the major addictive substance in tobacco. In several studies I have identified synaptic and cellular mechanisms by which nicotine alters the function of brain reward areas. In the present project, I aim to delineate how nicotinic receptor stimulation during adolescence induces changes in brain plasticity, leading to cognitive disturbances in adulthood. Using a multidisciplinary preclinical approach at the behavioural, neurophysiological and molecular level I aim to reveal the critical changes that occur in the adolescent brain as a consequence of nicotine exposure using state of the art molecular and neurophysiological techniques.

By using transgenic animals and targeted expression of nicotinic receptors, I will study which nicotinic receptors and what neuronal mechanisms are responsible for long-term cognitive changed induced by adolescent nicotine exposure.