Popular vape flavors found to boost nicotine reward in adolescent mice

A recent study conducted by researchers at the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine has revealed that flavor additives commonly found in e-cigarettes could potentially increase the likelihood of vaping behavior in adolescents, even in the absence of nicotine.

Published in the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, this preclinical study discovered that certain popular flavorings, such as vanilla and cherry, can trigger reinforcement-related behaviors similar to those associated with nicotine exposure, especially among adolescents.

The research involved testing the effects of flavored vapor, both with and without nicotine, on adolescent mice of both genders. Using the e-Vape self-administration (EVSA) assay, the study observed that mice exposed to vanillin or benzaldehyde exhibited significantly more active responses compared to the control group, despite the absence of nicotine.

Several flavor-nicotine combinations showed increased reinforcement-related behaviors, including nicotine with menthol, cherry, or vanilla, as well as vanilla flavor alone. Surprisingly, even in the absence of nicotine, vanilla-flavored vapor alone was capable of eliciting behavior indicative of reward-seeking, whereas cherry flavor alone did not have the same effect.

Lead investigator Brandon J. Henderson, Ph.D., an associate professor of biomedical sciences at the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, noted, “These findings are significant as they demonstrate that certain electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) flavors can impact the brain’s dopamine system, particularly in the nucleus accumbens, a key reward center, even in the absence of nicotine.”

Henderson added, “This raises important questions about the potential development of addiction-like behaviors in adolescents who use flavored vape products that are marketed as nicotine-free.”

The study further delved into how these flavor chemicals interact at the molecular level, revealing that compounds from green apple and vanilla can influence the function of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), proteins known to play a crucial role in nicotine addiction.

These findings contribute to a growing body of research indicating that flavorings have the ability to alter the brain’s response to nicotine, potentially increasing dependence, particularly among youth, according to Henderson.

In addition to Henderson, the study’s co-authors include Marshall University medical students Dami Adeshina, Gabrielle Hammers, Sean Hill, Sydney McSweeney, Sabrina Swenson, and Sarah Maddox. The co-authors also feature Marshall University Ph.D. students Nathan Olszewski and Samuel Tetteh-Quarshie.