Date of Award:

8-2026

Document Type:

Thesis

Degree Name:

Master of Science (MS)

Department:

Psychology

Committee Chair(s)

Amy L. Odum

Committee

Amy L. Odum

Committee

Maria Kleinstäuber

Committee

Gregory J. Madden

Abstract

Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States and worldwide. Nicotine, the primary component of tobacco, is responsible for the addiction to tobacco and nicotine products, such as Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS). The widespread consumption of these products is motivated by several complex properties of nicotine, such as its ability to increase the rewarding value of stimuli in the environment. Although reward enhancement has been demonstrated via smoking and other forms of nicotine intake, it is unclear if these effects extend to electronic cigarettes. The present study used an animal model of ENDS use (Rodent Electronic Nicotine Delivery System) to directly examine the reward-enhancing effects of aerosolized nicotine in rats. It was hypothesized that nosepoking of rats for visual stimuli (i.e., operant chamber lights) would increase following nicotine aerosol exposure, representing reward enhancement. Overall, our results did not indicate evidence of stimulus-enhancing effects following a long-term period of nicotine aerosol self-administration. Factors including the amount of nicotine consumed, how reward enhancement was measured, and nicotine aerosol as a modality, may have influenced these findings and are discussed. Our results prompt several future directions and potential clinical implications for the study of reward enhancement and electronic cigarettes.

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