Nicotine and ethanol are two most-commonly abused substances in the U.S., yet effective treatments remain elusive. This study investigates how ethanol exposure influences nicotine preference in C. elegans using a chemotaxis preference assay. We hypothesized that ethanol exposure would increase nicotine preference. One group of C. elegans was exposed to ethanol for 30 minutes at the L1 stage, while another group experienced ethanol exposure from birth until the L1 stage. These groups helped determine if nicotine preference was dependent on the duration of ethanol exposure. Post-ethanol treatment, C. elegans were placed in a preference assay with nicotine (4 µL) in one zone and water (4 µL) in another. Imaging occurred after 30 minutes to calculate the preference index: (# of C. elegans in the nicotine zone)/(# in both zones). A two-way ANOVA assessed the effect of ethanol on nicotine preference. A 30-minute ethanol exposure showed no significant difference in nicotine preference, whereas lifelong exposure resulted in an increasing trend of nicotine preference at low dosages (~30 mM). These results suggest further experiments are needed to refine the data. This study aims to expand the body of knowledge between ethanol and nicotine addiction, and contribute to better treatment strategies.
