Neuregulin 3 (NRG3) and ErbB4 have been linked to nicotine addiction; however, the neuronal mechanisms and behavioral consequences of NRG3-ErbB4 sensitivity to nicotine remain elusive.
Using a Finnish twin family sample, we have previously detected association between nicotine dependence and ERBB4 (a neuregulin receptor), and linkage for smoking initiation at the ERBB4 locus on 2q33.
Mice with significantly reduced levels of NRG3 or pharmacological inhibition of ErbB4 show similar reductions in anxiety following nicotine WD compared with control animals, suggesting a role for NRG3 in nicotine dependence.