1
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Eckard ML, Kinsey SG. Differential disruption of response alternation by precipitated Δ 9-THC withdrawal and subsequent Δ 9-THC abstinence in mice. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2024; 236:173718. [PMID: 38272272 PMCID: PMC10955601 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2024.173718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 01/01/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
In addition to overt somatic symptoms, cannabinoid withdrawal can also manifest as disruptions in motivation and attention. Experimental animal models using operant-conditioning approaches reveal these differences, in either antagonist-precipitated or spontaneous withdrawal models. However, these processes have yet to be characterized in the same subjects simultaneously. To differentiate between motivational and attentional processes disrupted in cannabinoid withdrawal, the current study used a response alternation task in which a fixed-ratio (FR) schedule repeatedly alternated between two spatially distinct response options throughout daily training sessions. This task yielded traditional measures of motivation (e.g., response latency) as well as attention (e.g., responses to the incorrect side). After two weeks of training, male and female C57BL/6 J mice either received vehicle or Δ9-THC (10 mg/kg, s.c.) twice daily for 5 days. On the 6th day, all mice received their final injection of vehicle or Δ9-THC followed 30 min later by injection of the CB1 receptor selective inverse agonist rimonabant (2 mg/kg, i.p.) to precipitate withdrawal. Testing continued for 3 days post-rimonabant to assess how THC abstinence impacted task performance. Whereas rimonabant decreased response rates to equal degrees in THC-treated and vehicle-treated mice, THC-treated mice showed longer session times, longer response latencies, and more errors per reinforcer. Only THC-treated mice showed a longer latency to switch after committing an error reflecting that precipitated withdrawal impacted measures of both motivation and attention. During the 3-day abstinence window, performance of vehicle-treated mice returned to baseline, but THC-treated mice continued to show disruptions in motivational measures. Importantly, attentional measures (errors and latency to switch after an error) were unaffected by THC abstinence. These data suggest that precipitated and "spontaneous" cannabinoid withdrawal may be qualitatively and quantitatively distinct withdrawal conditions with precipitated withdrawal disrupting both attentional and motivational processes, while abstinence may only affect motivation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Steven G Kinsey
- School of Nursing, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
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2
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Piscura MK, Henderson-Redmond AN, Barnes RC, Mitra S, Guindon J, Morgan DJ. Mechanisms of cannabinoid tolerance. Biochem Pharmacol 2023; 214:115665. [PMID: 37348821 PMCID: PMC10528043 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2023.115665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
Cannabis has been used recreationally and medically for centuries, yet research into understanding the mechanisms of its therapeutic effects has only recently garnered more attention. There is evidence to support the use of cannabinoids for the treatment of chronic pain, muscle spasticity, nausea and vomiting due to chemotherapy, improving weight gain in HIV-related cachexia, emesis, sleep disorders, managing symptoms in Tourette syndrome, and patient-reported muscle spasticity from multiple sclerosis. However, tolerance and the risk for cannabis use disorder are two significant disadvantages for cannabinoid-based therapies in humans. Recent work has revealed prominent sex differences in the acute response and tolerance to cannabinoids in both humans and animal models. This review will discuss evidence demonstrating cannabinoid tolerance in rodents, non-human primates, and humans and our current understanding of the neuroadaptations occurring at the cannabinoid type 1 receptor (CB1R) that are responsible tolerance. CB1R expression is downregulated in tolerant animals and humans while there is strong evidence of CB1R desensitization in cannabinoid tolerant rodent models. Throughout the review, critical knowledge gaps are indicated and discussed, such as the lack of a neuroimaging probe to assess CB1R desensitization in humans. The review discusses the intracellular signaling pathways that are responsible for mediating CB1R desensitization and downregulation including the action of G protein-coupled receptor kinases, β-arrestin2 recruitment, c-Jun N-terminal kinases, protein kinase A, and the intracellular trafficking of CB1R. Finally, the review discusses approaches to reduce cannabinoid tolerance in humans based on our current understanding of the neuroadaptations and mechanisms responsible for this process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary K Piscura
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Marshall University, Huntington, WV 25755, USA; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, Auburn, AL 36832, USA
| | | | - Robert C Barnes
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
| | - Swarup Mitra
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Marshall University, Huntington, WV 25755, USA
| | - Josée Guindon
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
| | - Daniel J Morgan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Marshall University, Huntington, WV 25755, USA.
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Garzón M, Chan J, Mackie K, Pickel VM. Prefrontal cortical distribution of muscarinic M2 and cannabinoid-1 (CB1) receptors in adult male mice with or without chronic adolescent exposure to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol. Cereb Cortex 2022; 32:5420-5437. [PMID: 35151230 PMCID: PMC9712711 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Revised: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic adolescent administration of marijuana's major psychoactive compound, ∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC), produces adaptive changes in adult social and cognitive functions sustained by prelimbic prefrontal cortex (PL-PFC). Memory and learning processes in PL-PFC neurons can be regulated through cholinergic muscarinic-2 receptors (M2R) and modulated by activation of cannabinoid-1 receptors (CB1Rs) targeted by Δ9-THC. Thus, chronic exposure to Δ9-THC during adolescence may alter the expression and/or distribution of M2Rs in PL-PFC neurons receiving CB1R terminals. We tested this hypothesis by using electron microscopic dual CB1R and M2R immunolabeling in adult C57BL/6 J male mice that had received vehicle or escalating dose of Δ9-THC through adolescence. In vehicle controls, CB1R immunolabeling was mainly localized to axonal profiles virtually devoid of M2R but often apposing M2R-immunoreactive dendrites and dendritic spines. The dendrites received inputs from CB1R-labeled or unlabeled terminals, whereas spines received asymmetric synapses exclusively from axon terminals lacking CB1Rs. Adolescent Δ9-THC significantly increased plasmalemmal M2R-immunogold density exclusively in large dendrites receiving input from CB1R-labeled terminals. In contrast, cytoplasmic M2R-immunogold density decreased in small spines of the Δ9-THC-treated adult mice. We conclude that Δ9-THC engagement of CB1Rs during adolescence increases M2R plasmalemmal accumulation in large proximal dendrites and decreases M2R cytoplasmic expression in small spines of PL-PFC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Garzón
- Corresponding author: Department of Anatomy, Histology and Neuroscience, Medical School, Autónoma University of Madrid, Arzobispo Morcillo 4, 28029 Madrid, Spain.
| | - June Chan
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, 407 East 61st Street, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Ken Mackie
- Linda and Jack Gill Center for Biomolecular Science, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Virginia M Pickel
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, 407 East 61st Street, New York, NY 10065, USA
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4
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Garzón M, Wang G, Chan J, Bourie F, Mackie K, Pickel VM. Adolescent administration of Δ 9-THC decreases the expression and function of muscarinic-1 receptors in prelimbic prefrontal cortical neurons of adult male mice. IBRO Neurosci Rep 2021; 11:144-155. [PMID: 34667972 PMCID: PMC8506972 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibneur.2021.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Long-term cannabis use during adolescence has deleterious effects in brain that are largely ascribed to the activation of cannabinoid-1 receptors (CB1Rs) by delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (∆9-THC), the primary psychoactive compound in marijuana. Systemic administration of ∆9-THC inhibits acetylcholine release in the prelimbic-prefrontal cortex (PL-PFC). In turn, PL-PFC acetylcholine plays a role in executive activities regulated by CB1R-targeting endocannabinoids, which are generated by cholinergic stimulation of muscarinic-1 receptors (M1Rs). However, the long-term effects of chronic administration of increasing doses of ∆9-THC in adolescent males on the distribution and function of M1 and/or CB1 receptors in the PL-PFC remains unresolved. We used C57BL\6J male mice pre-treated with vehicle or escalating daily doses of ∆9-THC to begin filling this gap. Electron microscopic immunolabeling showed M1R-immunogold particles on plasma membranes and in association with cytoplasmic membranes in varying sized dendrites and dendritic spines. These dendritic profiles received synaptic inputs from unlabeled, CB1R- and/or M1R-labeled axon terminals in the PL-PFC of both treatment groups. However, there was a size-dependent decrease in total (plasmalemmal and cytoplasmic) M1R gold particles in small dendrites within the PL-PFC of mice receiving ∆9-THC. Whole cell current-clamp recording in PL-PFC slice preparations further revealed that adolescent pretreatment with ∆9-THC attenuates the hyperpolarization and increases the firing rate produced by local muscarinic stimulation. Repeated administration of ∆9-THC during adolescence also reduced spontaneous alternations in a Y-maze paradigm designed for measures of PFC-dependent memory function in adult mice. Our results provide new information implicating M1Rs in cortical dysfunctions resulting from adolescent abuse of marijuana.
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Key Words
- 2-AG, 2-arachidonoyl-glycerol diacylglycerol
- ABC, avidin biotin complex
- ACSF, artificial cerebrospinal fluid
- Adolescence
- BSA, bovine serum albumin
- CB1Rs, cannabinoid-1 receptors
- Cannabinoid
- DAG, diacylglycerol
- EPSC, excitatory postsynaptic current
- ETOH, ethyl alcohol
- IP3, inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate
- IPSC, inhibitory postsynaptic current
- ITI, intertrial interval
- LTD, long term depression
- M1Rs, muscarinic-1 receptors
- Marijuana
- Muscarinic-1 receptor
- NMDA, N- methyl-D-aspartate
- PBS, phosphate buffered saline
- PD, postnatal day
- PL-PFC, prelimbic-prefrontal cortex
- PLC, phospholipase C
- Prefrontal cortex
- Prelimbic
- RMP, resting membrane potential
- SA, spontaneous alternation
- TS, Tris-buffered saline
- ∆9-THC, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Garzón
- Departamento de Anatomía, Histología y Neurociencia, Facultad de Medicina UAM, Madrid 28029, Spain
| | - Gang Wang
- Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - June Chan
- Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Faye Bourie
- Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Ken Mackie
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Virginia M. Pickel
- Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
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5
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Eckard ML, Trexler KR, Kotson BT, Anderson KG, Kinsey SG. Precipitated Δ9-THC withdrawal reduces motivation for sucrose reinforcement in mice. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2020; 195:172966. [PMID: 32526216 PMCID: PMC7415667 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2020.172966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2020] [Revised: 05/05/2020] [Accepted: 06/07/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Withdrawal from Δ9-tetrahyrocannibidol (THC) is associated with a host of dysphoric symptoms that increase probability of relapse. To date, many animal models of THC withdrawal rely on withdrawal-induced somatic withdrawal signs leaving withdrawal-suppressed behavior relatively unexplored. As compared with withdrawal-induced behaviors, ongoing behavior that is suppressed by withdrawal is a useful behavioral endpoint because it 1) more effectively models the subjective aspects of withdrawal and 2) identifies pharmacotherapies that restore behavior to baseline levels, rather than eliminate behavior induced by withdrawal. The current study assessed effects of spontaneous and rimonabant-precipitated THC withdrawal in mice responding on a progressive-ratio (PR) schedule of sucrose water reinforcement. Once behavior stabilized, male and female mice were administered THC (10 mg/kg, s.c.) or vehicle for five or six days. THC was either discontinued and behavior monitored for three days during abstinence, or the CB1 antagonist rimonabant (2 mg/kg, i.p.) was used to precipitate withdrawal. Whereas spontaneous THC withdrawal had no effect on PR performance, THC-treated mice were differentially sensitive to rimonabant administration via large decreases in break point, overall response rate, and run rate relative to vehicle-treated mice. Importantly, pretreatment with the CB1 positive allosteric modulator ZCZ011 (10 mg/kg, i.p.) did not prevent precipitated-withdrawal-induced behavioral impairment. These extend findings of earlier studies suggesting operant baselines are useful tools to study subjective effects of cannabinoid withdrawal. Additionally, operant baselines allow withdrawal pharmacotherapies to be tested in a restoration-of-function context, which may be more sensitive, selective, and clinically relevant.
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Affiliation(s)
- M L Eckard
- Department of Psychology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA; Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA.
| | - K R Trexler
- Department of Psychology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - B T Kotson
- Department of Psychology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - K G Anderson
- Department of Psychology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA; Department of Neuroscience, West Virginia University, Morgantown, USA
| | - S G Kinsey
- Department of Psychology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA; Department of Neuroscience, West Virginia University, Morgantown, USA; School of Nursing, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
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6
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Moreno-Rius J. The Cerebellum, THC, and Cannabis Addiction: Findings from Animal and Human Studies. THE CEREBELLUM 2019; 18:593-604. [DOI: 10.1007/s12311-018-0993-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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7
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Rueda-Orozco PE, Montes-Rodriguez CJ, Ruiz-Contreras AE, Mendez-Diaz M, Prospero-Garcia O. The effects of anandamide and oleamide on cognition depend on diurnal variations. Brain Res 2017; 1672:129-136. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2017.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2017] [Revised: 07/17/2017] [Accepted: 08/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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8
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Kutlu MG, Gould TJ. Effects of drugs of abuse on hippocampal plasticity and hippocampus-dependent learning and memory: contributions to development and maintenance of addiction. Learn Mem 2016; 23:515-33. [PMID: 27634143 PMCID: PMC5026208 DOI: 10.1101/lm.042192.116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 198] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2016] [Accepted: 07/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
It has long been hypothesized that conditioning mechanisms play major roles in addiction. Specifically, the associations between rewarding properties of drugs of abuse and the drug context can contribute to future use and facilitate the transition from initial drug use into drug dependency. On the other hand, the self-medication hypothesis of drug abuse suggests that negative consequences of drug withdrawal result in relapse to drug use as an attempt to alleviate the negative symptoms. In this review, we explored these hypotheses and the involvement of the hippocampus in the development and maintenance of addiction to widely abused drugs such as cocaine, amphetamine, nicotine, alcohol, opiates, and cannabis. Studies suggest that initial exposure to stimulants (i.e., cocaine, nicotine, and amphetamine) and alcohol may enhance hippocampal function and, therefore, the formation of augmented drug-context associations that contribute to the development of addiction. In line with the self-medication hypothesis, withdrawal from stimulants, ethanol, and cannabis results in hippocampus-dependent learning and memory deficits, which suggest that an attempt to alleviate these deficits may contribute to relapse to drug use and maintenance of addiction. Interestingly, opiate withdrawal leads to enhancement of hippocampus-dependent learning and memory. Given that a conditioned aversion to drug context develops during opiate withdrawal, the cognitive enhancement in this case may result in the formation of an augmented association between withdrawal-induced aversion and withdrawal context. Therefore, individuals with opiate addiction may return to opiate use to avoid aversive symptoms triggered by the withdrawal context. Overall, the systematic examination of the role of the hippocampus in drug addiction may help to formulate a better understanding of addiction and underlying neural substrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Munir Gunes Kutlu
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA
| | - Thomas J Gould
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA
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9
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Grim TW, Samano KL, Ignatowska-Jankowska B, Tao Q, Sim-Selly LJ, Selley DE, Wise LE, Poklis A, Lichtman AH. Pharmacological characterization of repeated administration of the first generation abused synthetic cannabinoid CP47,497. J Basic Clin Physiol Pharmacol 2016; 27:217-28. [PMID: 27149200 PMCID: PMC5644386 DOI: 10.1515/jbcpp-2015-0118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2015] [Accepted: 12/30/2015] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Abstract
A series of in vivo and in vitro assays were conducted to characterize the pharmacological effects of the first generation abused synthetic cannabinoid CP47,497, a racemic bicyclic cannabinoid that is similar in structure to the potent, high-efficacy synthetic cannabinoid CP55,940. CP47,497 was less efficacious than CP55,940 in activating G-proteins and dose-dependently produced common CB1 receptor-dependent pharmacological effects (i.e. catalepsy, hypothermia, antinociception, and hypolocomotion). CP47,497 also substituted for Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in the mouse drug discrimination, indicating that both drugs elicited a similar interceptive stimulus. The pharmacological effects of CP47,497 underwent tolerance following repeated administration and showed cross-tolerance following repeated THC administration, further suggesting a common cannabimimetic mechanism of action. Finally, the CB1 receptor antagonist rimonabant precipitated similar magnitudes of somatic withdrawal responses in mice treated repeatedly with THC or CP47,497. Taken together, these data verify the acute cannabimimetic effects of CP47,497, and indicate tolerance and dependence following repeated administration. The assays used here provide a straightforward approach to characterize the emerging next generation of abused synthetic cannabinoids.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Qing Tao
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Laura J. Sim-Selly
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Dana E. Selley
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Laura E. Wise
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Alphonse Poklis
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA; Department of Pathology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA; and Department of Forensic Science, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
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10
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Hitchcock LN, Lattal KM. Histone-mediated epigenetics in addiction. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2015; 128:51-87. [PMID: 25410541 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-800977-2.00003-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Many of the brain regions, neurotransmitter systems, and behavioral changes that occur after occasional drug use in healthy subjects and after chronic drug abuse in addicted patients are well characterized. An emerging literature suggests that epigenetic processes, those processes that regulate the accessibility of DNA to regulatory proteins within the nucleus, are keys to how addiction develops and how it may be treated. Investigations of the regulation of chromatin, the organizational system of DNA, by histone modification are leading to a new understanding of the cellular and behavioral alterations that occur after drug use. We will describe how, when, and where histone tails are modified and how some of the most recognized histone regulation patterns are involved in the cycle of addiction, including initial and chronic drug intake, withdrawal, abstinence, and relapse. Finally, we consider how an approach that targets histone modifications may promote successful treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leah N Hitchcock
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - K Matthew Lattal
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
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11
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Persistent effects of chronic Δ9-THC exposure on motor impulsivity in rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2015; 232:3033-43. [PMID: 25925779 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-015-3942-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2015] [Accepted: 04/14/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE In humans, long-term marijuana use is associated with impaired impulse control and attentional capacity, though it has been difficult to distinguish pre-existing cognitive deficits from possible consequences of prolonged marijuana exposure. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effects of long-term exposure to Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC), the primary psychoactive constituent in marijuana, on indices of impulse control and attentional capacity using the rat 5-Choice Serial Reaction Time Task (5-CSRTT). METHODS Ten 14-day cycles of Δ9-THC dosing and 5-CSRTT testing were employed, each comprised of 5-day Δ9-THC dosing (0.3 or 3 mg/kg b.i.d.) and 5-CSRTT testing during the 9 days of drug abstinence. Subsequent 5-CSRTT testing continued during 5 weeks of protracted abstinence. RESULTS Dose-dependent increases in motor impulsivity (premature responses) and behavioral disinhibition (perseverative responses) emerged following 5 cycles of Δ9-THC exposure that persisted for the remaining dosing and testing cycles. Δ9-THC-related disruptions in motor impulsivity and behavioral inhibition were most pronounced during cognitively challenging 5-CSRTT sessions incorporating varying novel inter-trial intervals (ITIs), and these disruptions persisted for at least 5 weeks of Δ9-THC abstinence. Δ9-THC-related impairments in attentional capacity (response accuracy) were also evident during variable ITI challenge tests, though these attentional disruptions abated within 3 weeks of Δ9-THC abstinence. CONCLUSIONS These observations demonstrate that long-term intermittent exposure to clinically meaningful Δ9-THC doses induces persistent impairments in impulse control and attentional function. If present in humans, these disruptions may impact academic and professional performance.
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12
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Marusich JA, Lefever TW, Antonazzo KR, Craft RM, Wiley JL. Evaluation of sex differences in cannabinoid dependence. Drug Alcohol Depend 2014; 137:20-8. [PMID: 24582909 PMCID: PMC3971653 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2014.01.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2014] [Revised: 01/23/2014] [Accepted: 01/24/2014] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chronic recreational marijuana users often report withdrawal symptoms when trying to quit, with some reports suggesting withdrawal may be more pronounced in women. In animal models, female rodents show enhanced sensitivity to acute Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) administration, but chronic administration has been studied little. METHODS Sex differences in THC dependence in rats were examined. Adult male and female Sprague-Dawley rats were administered 30 mg/kg THC or vehicle twice daily for 6.5 days. On day 7, rats were challenged with vehicle or rimonabant, counterbalanced across dosing groups, and were assessed for withdrawal-related behaviors. RESULTS During chronic THC dosing, disruption of estrous cycling and weight loss (both sexes) were observed. Whereas overt signs of withdrawal were minimal in THC-treated rats challenged with vehicle, rimonabant precipitated a pronounced withdrawal syndrome in THC-dependent rats that was characterized by changes in a number of domains, including somatic (paw tremors, head twitches, and retropulsion), early-stage cognition (lack of locomotor habituation, disrupted prepulse inhibition), and affective (increased startle reactivity). With the exception of increased retropulsion in female rats, sex differences were not noted. In vehicle-treated rats, rimonabant induced puritis. CONCLUSIONS This study represents the first examination of THC dependence in adult rats of both sexes, extends previous findings to females, and revealed some sex differences. The results suggest that the changes that occur during precipitated withdrawal from THC extend beyond somatic signs to more nuanced disruptions of cognitive and affective functioning. The breadth of withdrawal signs observed in rodents mirrors those that have been observed in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Rebecca M. Craft
- Department of Psychology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-4820, USA
| | - Jenny L. Wiley
- RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2194, USA
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13
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Wise LE, Long KA, Abdullah RA, Long JZ, Cravatt BF, Lichtman AH. Dual fatty acid amide hydrolase and monoacylglycerol lipase blockade produces THC-like Morris water maze deficits in mice. ACS Chem Neurosci 2012; 3:369-78. [PMID: 22860205 DOI: 10.1021/cn200130s] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2011] [Accepted: 01/27/2012] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Acute administration of Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) or exposure to marijuana smoke impairs short-term spatial memory in water maze tasks through a CB(1) receptor mechanism of action. N-Arachidonoylethanolamine (anandamide; AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) are endogenous cannabinoids that are predominantly metabolized by the respective enzymes fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) and monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL). Although the MAGL inhibitor JZL184 enhances short-term synaptic plasticity, it has yet to be evaluated in the Morris water maze. Previous research demonstrated that simultaneous, complete blockade of FAAH and MAGL produces full blown THC-like effects. Thus, in the following studies we tested whether dual blockade of FAAH and MAGL would impair learning in a repeated acquisition Morris water maze task. Mice treated with the dual FAAH/MAGL inhibitor JZL195 (20 mg/kg) as well as JZL184-treated FAAH -/- mice displayed robust deficits in Morris water maze performance that were similar in magnitude to THC-treated mice. While 20 or 40 mg/kg impaired water maze performance in FAAH -/- mice, only the high dose of JZL184 disrupted performance in FAAH +/+ mice. The memory impairing effects of JZL184 were blocked by the CB(1) receptor antagonist rimonabant. Neither JZL184 nor JZL195 impaired performance in a cued version of the water maze task, arguing against the notion that sensorimotor or motivational deficits accounted for the impaired acquisition performance. JZL184 increased 2-AG levels in the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and cerebellum to a similar degree in FAAH -/- and +/+ mice. FAAH -/- mice, regardless of drug treatment, possessed elevated AEA levels in each brain region assessed. The results of this study reveal that concomitant increases in AEA and 2-AG disrupt short-term spatial memory performance in a manner similar to that of THC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura E. Wise
- Department of Pharmacology and
Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, 1217 East Marshall Street, P.O. Box 980613, Richmond, Virginia
23298, United States
| | - Kelly A. Long
- Department of Pharmacology and
Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, 1217 East Marshall Street, P.O. Box 980613, Richmond, Virginia
23298, United States
| | - Rehab A. Abdullah
- Department of Pharmacology and
Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, 1217 East Marshall Street, P.O. Box 980613, Richmond, Virginia
23298, United States
| | - Jonathan Z. Long
- The
Skaggs Institute for Chemical
Biology and Department of Chemical Physiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United
States
| | - Benjamin F. Cravatt
- The
Skaggs Institute for Chemical
Biology and Department of Chemical Physiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United
States
| | - Aron H. Lichtman
- Department of Pharmacology and
Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, 1217 East Marshall Street, P.O. Box 980613, Richmond, Virginia
23298, United States
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Abush H, Akirav I. Short- and long-term cognitive effects of chronic cannabinoids administration in late-adolescence rats. PLoS One 2012; 7:e31731. [PMID: 22348124 PMCID: PMC3278466 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0031731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2011] [Accepted: 01/12/2012] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of cannabis can impair cognitive function, especially short-term memory. A controversial question is whether long-term cannabis use during the late-adolescence period can cause irreversible deficits in higher brain function that persist after drug use stops. In order to examine the short- and long-term effects of chronic exposure to cannabinoids, rats were administered chronic i.p. treatment with the CB1/CB2 receptor agonist WIN55,212-2 (WIN; 1.2 mg/kg) for two weeks during the late adolescence period (post-natal days 45–60) and tested for behavioral and electrophysiological measures of cognitive performance 24 hrs, 10 and 30 days after the last drug injection. The impairing effects of chronic WIN on short-term memory in the water maze and the object recognition tasks as well as long-term potentiation (LTP) in the ventral subiculum (vSub)-nucleus accumbens (NAc) pathway were temporary as they lasted only 24 h or 10 d after withdrawal. However, chronic WIN significantly impaired hippocampal dependent short-term memory measured in the object location task 24 hrs, 10, 30, and 75 days after the last drug injection. Our findings suggest that some forms of hippocampal-dependent short-term memory are sensitive to chronic cannabinoid administration but other cognitive impairments are temporary and probably result from a residue of cannabinoids in the brain or acute withdrawal effects from cannabinoids. Understanding the effects of cannabinoids on cognitive function may provide us with tools to overcome these impairments and for cannabinoids to be more favorably considered for clinical use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hila Abush
- Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Irit Akirav
- Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
- * E-mail:
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