Your roommate takes up smoking, and you hate it. Use what you know about nicotine to convince her to quit. (Check all statements that are true.)

Question

_____  Nicotine binds to a receptor in the brain that normally receives acetylcholine.
_____  Nicotine evolved to protect the tobacco plant by killing grazing cattle.
_____  The brain adapts to smoking by changing the levels of this receptor. Over time, more drug is required to get the same effect.
_____  Nicotine is not addictive, but is still very dangerous.
_____  Nicotine is identical to an endogenous ligand in the human body.
_____  Nicotine evolved to protect the tobacco plant by killing insects.

Clarify Question
· What is the key concept addressed by the question?
· What type of thinking is required?
 
Gather Content/Choose Answer
· What do you already know about nicotine? What other information is related to the question?
 
Reflect on Process
· Did your problem-solving process lead you to the correct answer? If not, where did the process break down or lead you astray? How can you revise your approach to produce a more desirable result?

Answer 1

__X__  Nicotine binds to a receptor in the brain that normally receives acetylcholine.
_____  Nicotine evolved to protect the tobacco plant by killing grazing cattle.
__X__  The brain adapts to smoking by changing the levels of this receptor. Over time, more drug is required to get the same effect.
_____  Nicotine is not addictive, but is still very dangerous.
_____  Nicotine is identical to an endogenous ligand in the human body.
__X__  Nicotine evolved to protect the tobacco plant by killing insects.


Clarify Question
· What is the key concept addressed by the question?
        o The effect of nicotine on the nervous system.
· What type of thinking is required?
        o This is an analyze question because you have to consider various aspects of nicotine and its effect on the brain.
 
Gather Content/Choose Answer
· What do you already know about nicotine? What other information is related to the question?
        o To solve this problem, you’ll need to understand that nicotine binds to acetylcholine receptors in the vertebrate brain. It affects the central nervous system of insects, which is why tobacco plants evolved the ability to produce this compound. The vertebrate brain changes in response to long-term nicotine exposure by decreasing the number of acetylcholine receptors and by altering their sensitivity. As a result, more nicotine is required to result in the same effect as before.
 
Reflect on Process
· Did your problem-solving process lead you to the correct answer? If not, where did the process break down or lead you astray? How can you revise your approach to produce a more desirable result?
        o If you figured out the correct answer, good job! If not, where did you go wrong? Did you think that nicotine evolved to protect the tobacco plant by killing grazing cattle? While tobacco has a similar effect on all mammals (like us), it usually does not kill them. Also, nicotine evolved long before humans domesticated cattle, so answer (B) is not correct. Nicotine is not identical to an endogenous ligand in the human body (answer E), but its shape fits into endogenous acetylcholine receptors, and can be very addictive (answer D).