Activity-related behaviors in the hole-board predict nicotine consumption in C57B6 mice perinatally exposed to nicotine

Hole-board behaviors of adolescent C57B/6 mice that had been exposed to nicotine during gestation and suckling were evaluated on postnatal days 34–36. Rearing on all three trials significantly predicted higher nicotine intake on a two-bottle choice test administered from days 37–42. For head pokes, there was a weak trend for lower head poking in the first trial to be predictive of higher nicotine intake. Locomotor activity only predicted higher nicotine consumption on the third trial. These results show that hole-board behaviors predict subsequent nicotine intake in mice exposed to nicotine perinatally, especially after habituation to the apparatus.