[Effects of nicotine on precocious evoked auditory potentials of the rat in the presence or absence of endogenous serotonin].

In the rat, nicotine bitartrate (100 micrograms/kg) by intraperitoneal route provokes modifications of the brain stem auditory evoked potentials. These changes are complex: a) decrease of the amplitude of waves IV and V, probably by fixation on nicotinic type receptors, neuronal serotonin stores being normal; b) increase of the amplitude of waves I, I' and II, more important when endogenous stores are depleted; c) increase in the latency of these waves when serotonin stores are normal.