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Chronic exposure to a synthetic cannabinoid alters cerebral brain metabolism and causes long-lasting behavioral deficits in adult mice. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2023:10.1007/s00702-023-02607-8. [PMID: 36853560 PMCID: PMC10374737 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-023-02607-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/01/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, there has been growing evidence that cannabinoids have promising medicinal and pharmacological effects. However, the growing interest in medical cannabis highlights the need to better understand brain alterations linking phytocannabinoids or synthetic cannabinoids to clinical and behavioral phenotypes. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of long-term WIN 55,212-2 treatment-with and without prolonged abstinence-on cerebral metabolism and memory function in healthy wildtype mice. Adult C57BI/6J mice were divided into two treatment groups to study the acute effects of WIN 55,212-2 treatment as well the effects of WIN 55,212-2 treatment after an extended washout phase. We could demonstrate that 3 mg/kg WIN 55,212-2 treatment in early adulthood leads to a hypometabolism in several brain regions including the hippocampus, cerebellum, amygdala and midbrain, even after prolonged abstinence. Furthermore, prolonged acute WIN 55,212-2 treatment in 6-months-old mice reduced the glucose metabolism in the hippocampus and midbrain. In addition, Win 55,212-2 treatment during adulthood lead to spatial memory and recognition memory deficits without affecting anxiety behavior. Overall we could demonstrate that treatment with the synthetic CB1/CB2 receptor aganist Win 55,212-2 during adulthood causes persistent memory deficits, especially when mice were treated in early adulthood. Our findings highlight the risks of prolonged WIN 55,212-2 use and provide new insights into the mechanisms underlying the effects of chronic cannabinoid exposure on the brain and behavior.
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Curdt N, Schmitt FW, Bouter C, Iseni T, Weile HC, Altunok B, Beindorff N, Bayer TA, Cooke MB, Bouter Y. Search strategy analysis of Tg4-42 Alzheimer Mice in the Morris Water Maze reveals early spatial navigation deficits. Sci Rep 2022; 12:5451. [PMID: 35361814 PMCID: PMC8971530 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-09270-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Spatial disorientation is one of the earliest symptoms in Alzheimer’s disease and allocentric deficits can already be detected in the asymptomatic preclinical stages of the disease. The Morris Water Maze (MWM) is used to study spatial learning in rodent models. Here we investigated the spatial memory of female 3, 7 and 12 month-old Alzheimer Tg4-42 mice in comparison to wild-type control animals. Conventional behavior analysis of escape latencies and quadrant preference revealed spatial memory and reference memory deficits in female 7 and 12 month-old Tg4-42 mice. In contrast, conventional analysis of the MWM indicated an intact spatial memory in 3 month-old Tg4-42 mice. However, a detailed analysis of the swimming strategies demonstrated allocentric-specific memory deficits in 3 month-old Tg4-42 mice before the onset of severe memory deficits. Furthermore, we could show that the spatial reference memory deficits in aged Tg4-42 animals are caused by the lack of allocentric and spatial strategies. Analyzing search strategies in the MWM allows to differentiate between hippocampus-dependent allocentric and hippocampus-independent egocentric search strategies. The spatial navigation impairments in young Tg4-42 mice are well in line with the hypometabolism and synaptic deficits in the hippocampus. Therefore, analyzing search strategies in the Tg4-42 model can be a powerful tool for preclinical drug testing and identifying early therapeutic successes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadine Curdt
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Georg-August-University Göttingen, University Medicine Göttingen, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Franziska W Schmitt
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Georg-August-University Göttingen, University Medicine Göttingen, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Caroline Bouter
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Center Göttingen (UMG), Georg-August-University, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Trendelina Iseni
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Georg-August-University Göttingen, University Medicine Göttingen, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Hanna C Weile
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Georg-August-University Göttingen, University Medicine Göttingen, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Berfin Altunok
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Georg-August-University Göttingen, University Medicine Göttingen, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Nicola Beindorff
- Berlin Experimental Radionuclide Imaging Center (BERIC), Charité-University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Thomas A Bayer
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Georg-August-University Göttingen, University Medicine Göttingen, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Matthew B Cooke
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada.,Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Yvonne Bouter
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Georg-August-University Göttingen, University Medicine Göttingen, 37075, Göttingen, Germany.
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Aragão LGHS, Oliveira JT, Temerozo JR, Mendes MA, Salerno JA, Pedrosa CSG, Puig-Pijuan T, Veríssimo CP, Ornelas IM, Torquato T, Vitória G, Sacramento CQ, Fintelman-Rodrigues N, da Silva Gomes Dias S, Cardoso Soares V, Souza LRQ, Karmirian K, Goto-Silva L, Biagi D, Cruvinel EM, Dariolli R, Furtado DR, Bozza PT, Borges HL, Souza TML, Guimarães MZP, Rehen SK. WIN 55,212-2 shows anti-inflammatory and survival properties in human iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes infected with SARS-CoV-2. PeerJ 2021; 9:e12262. [PMID: 34707939 PMCID: PMC8504461 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which can infect several organs, especially impacting respiratory capacity. Among the extrapulmonary manifestations of COVID-19 is myocardial injury, which is associated with a high risk of mortality. Myocardial injury, caused directly or indirectly by SARS-CoV-2 infection, can be triggered by inflammatory processes that lead to damage to the heart tissue. Since one of the hallmarks of severe COVID-19 is the "cytokine storm", strategies to control inflammation caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection have been considered. Cannabinoids are known to have anti-inflammatory properties by negatively modulating the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Herein, we investigated the effects of the cannabinoid agonist WIN 55,212-2 (WIN) in human iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) infected with SARS-CoV-2. WIN did not modify angiotensin-converting enzyme II protein levels, nor reduced viral infection and replication in hiPSC-CMs. On the other hand, WIN reduced the levels of interleukins six, eight, 18 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) released by infected cells, and attenuated cytotoxic damage measured by the release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). Our findings suggest that cannabinoids should be further explored as a complementary therapeutic tool for reducing inflammation in COVID-19 patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Júlia T. Oliveira
- D’Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Jairo R. Temerozo
- Laboratory on Thymus Research, Oswaldo Cruz Institute (IOC), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- National Institute for Science and Technology on Innovation in Diseases of Neglected Populations (INCT/IDPN), Center for Technological Development in Health (CDTS), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Mayara A. Mendes
- D’Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - José Alexandre Salerno
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Carolina S. G. Pedrosa
- D’Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Teresa Puig-Pijuan
- D’Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Carlos Chagas Filho Institute of Biophysics, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Carla P. Veríssimo
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Isis M. Ornelas
- D’Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Thayana Torquato
- D’Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Gabriela Vitória
- D’Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Carolina Q. Sacramento
- National Institute for Science and Technology on Innovation in Diseases of Neglected Populations (INCT/IDPN), Center for Technological Development in Health (CDTS), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Laboratory of Immunopharmacology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute (IOC), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Natalia Fintelman-Rodrigues
- National Institute for Science and Technology on Innovation in Diseases of Neglected Populations (INCT/IDPN), Center for Technological Development in Health (CDTS), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Laboratory of Immunopharmacology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute (IOC), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Suelen da Silva Gomes Dias
- Laboratory of Immunopharmacology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute (IOC), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Vinicius Cardoso Soares
- Laboratory of Immunopharmacology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute (IOC), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Program of Immunology and Inflammation, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Letícia R. Q. Souza
- D’Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Karina Karmirian
- D’Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Livia Goto-Silva
- D’Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Diogo Biagi
- Pluricell Biotech, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Rafael Dariolli
- Pluricell Biotech, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, United States
| | - Daniel R. Furtado
- D’Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Patrícia T. Bozza
- Laboratory of Immunopharmacology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute (IOC), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Helena L. Borges
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Thiago M. L. Souza
- National Institute for Science and Technology on Innovation in Diseases of Neglected Populations (INCT/IDPN), Center for Technological Development in Health (CDTS), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Laboratory of Immunopharmacology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute (IOC), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Marília Zaluar P. Guimarães
- D’Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Stevens K. Rehen
- D’Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Department of Genetics, Institute of Biology, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Mokrysz C, Shaban NDC, Freeman TP, Lawn W, Pope RA, Hindocha C, Freeman A, Wall MB, Bloomfield MAP, Morgan CJA, Nutt DJ, Curran HV. Acute effects of cannabis on speech illusions and psychotic-like symptoms: two studies testing the moderating effects of cannabidiol and adolescence. Psychol Med 2021; 51:2134-2142. [PMID: 32340632 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291720001038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Acute cannabis administration can produce transient psychotic-like effects in healthy individuals. However, the mechanisms through which this occurs and which factors predict vulnerability remain unclear. We investigate whether cannabis inhalation leads to psychotic-like symptoms and speech illusion; and whether cannabidiol (CBD) blunts such effects (study 1) and adolescence heightens such effects (study 2). METHODS Two double-blind placebo-controlled studies, assessing speech illusion in a white noise task, and psychotic-like symptoms on the Psychotomimetic States Inventory (PSI). Study 1 compared effects of Cann-CBD (cannabis containing Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and negligible levels of CBD) with Cann+CBD (cannabis containing THC and CBD) in 17 adults. Study 2 compared effects of Cann-CBD in 20 adolescents and 20 adults. All participants were healthy individuals who currently used cannabis. RESULTS In study 1, relative to placebo, both Cann-CBD and Cann+CBD increased PSI scores but not speech illusion. No differences between Cann-CBD and Cann+CBD emerged. In study 2, relative to placebo, Cann-CBD increased PSI scores and incidence of speech illusion, with the odds of experiencing speech illusion 3.1 (95% CIs 1.3-7.2) times higher after Cann-CBD. No age group differences were found for speech illusion, but adults showed heightened effects on the PSI. CONCLUSIONS Inhalation of cannabis reliably increases psychotic-like symptoms in healthy cannabis users and may increase the incidence of speech illusion. CBD did not influence psychotic-like effects of cannabis. Adolescents may be less vulnerable to acute psychotic-like effects of cannabis than adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Mokrysz
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, London, UK
| | | | - Tom P Freeman
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, London, UK
- Addiction and Mental Health Group (AIM), Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK
- National Addiction Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Will Lawn
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, London, UK
| | - Rebecca A Pope
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, London, UK
| | - Chandni Hindocha
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, London, UK
| | - Abigail Freeman
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, London, UK
| | - Matthew B Wall
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, London, UK
- Invicro, Burlington Danes Building, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London, UK
- Division of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Michael A P Bloomfield
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, London, UK
- Psychiatric Imaging Group, Medical Research Council Clinical Sciences Centre, Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK
- Division of Psychiatry, Translational Psychiatry Research Group, University College London, Maple House, London, UK
- NIHR University College London Hospitals Biomedical Research Centre, University College Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Celia J A Morgan
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, London, UK
- Psychopharmacology and Addiction Research Centre, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - David J Nutt
- Neuropsychopharmacology Unit, Division of Experimental Medicine, Imperial College London, Burlington Danes Building, Du Cane Road, London, UK
| | - H Valerie Curran
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, London, UK
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Lumsden EW, McCowan L, Pescrille JD, Fawcett WP, Chen H, Albuquerque EX, Mamczarz J, Pereira EFR. Learning and memory retention deficits in prepubertal guinea pigs prenatally exposed to low levels of the organophosphorus insecticide malathion. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2020; 81:106914. [PMID: 32652103 DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2020.106914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2020] [Revised: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
High doses of malathion, an organophosphorus (OP) insecticide ubiquitously used in agriculture, residential settings, and public health programs worldwide, induce a well-defined toxidrome that results from the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE). However, prenatal exposures to malathion levels that are below the threshold for AChE inhibition have been associated with increased risks of neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder with intellectual disability comorbidity. The present study tested the hypothesis that prenatal exposures to a non-AChE-inhibiting dose of malathion are causally related to sex-biased cognitive deficits later in life in a precocial species. To this end, pregnant guinea pigs were injected subcutaneously with malathion (20 mg/kg) or vehicle (peanut oil, 0.5 ml/kg) once daily between approximate gestational days 53 and 63. This malathion dose regimen caused no significant AChE inhibition in the brain or blood of dams and offspring and had no significant effect on the postnatal growth of the offspring. Around postnatal day 30, locomotor activity and habituation, a form of non-associative learning, were comparable between malathion- and peanut oil-exposed offspring. However, in the Morris water maze, malathion-exposed offspring presented significant sex-dependent spatial learning deficits in addition to memory impairments. These results are far-reaching as they indicate that: (i) malathion is a developmental neurotoxicant and (ii) AChE inhibition is not an adequate biomarker to derive safety limits of malathion exposures during gestation. Continued studies are necessary to identify the time and dose dependence of the developmental neurotoxicity of malathion and the mechanisms underlying the detrimental effects of this insecticide in the developing brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric W Lumsden
- Division of Translational Toxicology, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States of America
| | - Lillian McCowan
- Division of Translational Toxicology, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States of America
| | - Joseph D Pescrille
- Division of Translational Toxicology, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States of America
| | - William P Fawcett
- Division of Translational Toxicology, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States of America
| | - Hegang Chen
- Division of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States of America
| | - Edson X Albuquerque
- Division of Translational Toxicology, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States of America; Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States of America
| | - Jacek Mamczarz
- Division of Translational Toxicology, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States of America.
| | - Edna F R Pereira
- Division of Translational Toxicology, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States of America; Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States of America
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Developmental differences in the effects of CB1/2R agonist WIN55212-2 on extinction of learned fear. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2020; 99:109834. [PMID: 31830508 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2019.109834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2019] [Revised: 11/18/2019] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Adolescence is characterised by substantial changes in emotion regulation and, in particular, impaired extinction consolidation and retention. In this study, we replicated the well-established finding that increasing the activation of cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1R) via the agonist WIN55212-2 improves fear extinction in adult rodents before examining whether this adjunct would also rescue the extinction retention deficit seen in adolescent rodents. Contrary to the effects in adults, we found that WIN55212-2 impaired within-session acquisition of extinction in adolescent rats with no effect on extinction retention. The same effects of WIN55212-2 were observed for juvenile rats, and did not vary as a function of drug dose. Increased fear expression observed during extinction training was not a result of altered locomotor or anxiety-like behaviour in adolescent rats, as assessed by the open field test. Lastly, we observed a linear decrease in CB1R protein expression across age (i.e., from juveniles, to adolescents, and adults) in both the medial prefrontal cortex and amygdala, two regions implicated in fear expression and extinction, suggesting that there is continued refinement of the endocannabinoid system across development in two regions involved in extinction. Our findings suggest that the expression and extinction of fear in developing rats is differentially affected by CB1R agonism due to an immature endocannabinoid system.
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Mazarati A. Can we and should we use animal models to study neurobehavioral comorbidities of epilepsy? Epilepsy Behav 2019; 101:106566. [PMID: 31699663 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2019.106566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2019] [Revised: 09/11/2019] [Accepted: 09/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Animal systems have been widely used to examine mechanisms of neurobehavioral comorbidities of epilepsy and to help in developing their effective therapies. Despite the progress made in the field, animal studies have their limitations stemming both from issues with modeling neuropsychiatric disorders in the laboratory and from drawbacks of animal models of epilepsy themselves. This review discusses advantages and weaknesses of experimental paradigms and approaches used to model and to analyze neurobehavioral comorbidities of epilepsy, from the perspectives of their needs, interpretation, ways of improvement, and clinical relevance. Developmental studies are required to adequately address age-specific aspects of the comorbidities. The deployment of preclinical Common Data Elements (pCDEs) for epilepsy research should facilitate the standardization and the harmonization of studies in question, while the application of Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) to characterize neurobehavioral disorders in animals with epilepsy should help in closing the bench-to-bedside gap. Special Issue: Epilepsy & Behavior's 20th Anniversary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrey Mazarati
- Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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Gorey C, Kuhns L, Smaragdi E, Kroon E, Cousijn J. Age-related differences in the impact of cannabis use on the brain and cognition: a systematic review. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2019; 269:37-58. [PMID: 30680487 PMCID: PMC6394430 DOI: 10.1007/s00406-019-00981-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2018] [Accepted: 01/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
The impact of cannabis on the adolescent compared to adult brain is of interest to researchers and society alike. From a theoretical perspective, adolescence represents a period of both risk and resilience to the harms of cannabis use and cannabis use disorders. The aim of this systematic review is to provide a critical examination of the moderating role of age on the relationship between cannabis use and cognition. To this end, we reviewed human and animal studies that formally tested whether age, adolescent or adult, changes the relationship between cannabis exposure and cognitive outcomes. While the results of this review do not offer a conclusive answer on the role of age, the novel review question, along with the inclusion of both human and animal work, has allowed for the formation of new hypotheses to be addressed in future work. First, general executive functioning seems to be more impaired in adolescent frequent cannabis users compared to adult frequent cannabis users. Second, age-effects may be most prominent among very heavy and dependent users. Third, craving and inhibitory control may not decrease as much post-intoxication in adolescents compared to adults. Lastly, adolescents' vulnerability to reduced learning following cannabis use may not persist after sustained abstinence. If these hypotheses prove correct, it could lead to important developments in policy and prevention efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Gorey
- Department of Psychology, Addiction Development and Psychopathology (ADAPT) Research Center, University of Amsterdam, P.O. box 15916, 1001 NK, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Dynamics of Externalizing (DEXTER) Lab, Department of Psychology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Lauren Kuhns
- Department of Psychology, Addiction Development and Psychopathology (ADAPT) Research Center, University of Amsterdam, P.O. box 15916, 1001 NK, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- The Amsterdam Brain and Cognition Center (ABC), University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Eleni Smaragdi
- Department of Psychology, Addiction Development and Psychopathology (ADAPT) Research Center, University of Amsterdam, P.O. box 15916, 1001 NK, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Emese Kroon
- Department of Psychology, Addiction Development and Psychopathology (ADAPT) Research Center, University of Amsterdam, P.O. box 15916, 1001 NK, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- The Amsterdam Brain and Cognition Center (ABC), University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Janna Cousijn
- Department of Psychology, Addiction Development and Psychopathology (ADAPT) Research Center, University of Amsterdam, P.O. box 15916, 1001 NK, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
- The Amsterdam Brain and Cognition Center (ABC), University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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9
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Recognition of early stage thigmotaxis in Morris water maze test with convolutional neural network. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0197003. [PMID: 29723266 PMCID: PMC5933739 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0197003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2018] [Accepted: 04/24/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The Morris water maze test (MWM) is a useful tool to evaluate rodents' spatial learning and memory, but the outcome is susceptible to various experimental conditions. Thigmotaxis is a commonly observed behavioral pattern which is thought to be related to anxiety or fear. This behavior is associated with prolonged escape latency, but the impact of its frequency in the early stage on the final outcome is not clearly understood. We analyzed swim path trajectories in male C57BL/6 mice with or without bilateral common carotid artery stenosis (BCAS) treatment. There was no significant difference in the frequencies of particular types of trajectories according to ischemic brain surgery. The mouse groups with thigmotaxis showed significantly prolonged escape latency and lower cognitive score on day 5 compared to those without thigmotaxis. As the next step, we made a convolutional neural network (CNN) model to recognize the swim path trajectories. Our model could distinguish thigmotaxis from other trajectories with 96% accuracy and specificity as high as 0.98. These results suggest that thigmotaxis in the early training stage is a predictive factor for impaired performance in MWM, and machine learning can detect such behavior easily and automatically.
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Blest-Hopley G, Giampietro V, Bhattacharyya S. Residual effects of cannabis use in adolescent and adult brains - A meta-analysis of fMRI studies. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2018. [PMID: 29535069 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
While numerous studies have investigated the residual effects of cannabis use on human brain function, results of these studies have been inconsistent. Using meta-analytic approaches we summarize the effects of prolonged cannabis exposure on human brain function as measured using task-based functional MRI (fMRI) across studies employing a range of cognitive activation tasks comparing regular cannabis users with non-users. Separate meta-analyses were carried out for studies investigating adult and adolescent cannabis users. Systematic literature search identified 20 manuscripts (13 adult and 7 adolescent studies) meeting study inclusion criteria. Adult analyses compared 530 cannabis users to 580 healthy controls while adolescent analyses compared 219 cannabis users to 224 healthy controls. In adult cannabis users brain activation was increased in the superior and posterior transverse temporal and inferior frontal gyri and decreased in the striate area, insula and middle temporal gyrus. In adolescent cannabis users, activation was increased in the inferior parietal gyrus and putamen compared to healthy controls. Functional alteration in these areas may reflect compensatory neuroadaptive changes in cannabis users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace Blest-Hopley
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, UK
| | - Vincent Giampietro
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, PO Box 089, UK
| | - Sagnik Bhattacharyya
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, UK; South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, Denmark Hill, Camberwell, London, UK.
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11
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Mokrysz C, Freeman TP, Korkki S, Griffiths K, Curran HV. Are adolescents more vulnerable to the harmful effects of cannabis than adults? A placebo-controlled study in human males. Transl Psychiatry 2016; 6:e961. [PMID: 27898071 PMCID: PMC5290352 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2016.225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2016] [Revised: 09/27/2016] [Accepted: 09/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Preclinical research demonstrates that cannabinoids have differing effects in adolescent and adult animals. Whether these findings translate to humans has not yet been investigated. Here we believe we conducted the first study to compare the acute effects of cannabis in human adolescent (n=20; 16-17 years old) and adult (n=20; 24-28 years old) male cannabis users, in a placebo-controlled, double-blind cross-over design. After inhaling vaporized active or placebo cannabis, participants completed tasks assessing spatial working memory, episodic memory and response inhibition, alongside measures of blood pressure and heart rate, psychotomimetic symptoms and subjective drug effects (for example, 'stoned', 'want to have cannabis'). Results showed that on active cannabis, adolescents felt less stoned and reported fewer psychotomimetic symptoms than adults. Further, adults but not adolescents were more anxious and less alert during the active cannabis session (both pre- and post-drug administration). Following cannabis, cognitive impairment (reaction time on spatial working memory and prose recall following a delay) was greater in adults than adolescents. By contrast, cannabis impaired response inhibition accuracy in adolescents but not in adults. Moreover, following drug administration, the adolescents did not show satiety; instead they wanted more cannabis regardless of whether they had taken active or placebo cannabis, while the opposite was seen for adults. These contrasting profiles of adolescent resilience (blunted subjective, memory, physiological and psychotomimetic effects) and vulnerability (lack of satiety, impaired inhibitory processes) show some degree of translation from preclinical findings, and may contribute to escalated cannabis use by human adolescents.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Mokrysz
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, Clinical Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK
| | - T P Freeman
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, Clinical Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK
| | - S Korkki
- Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - K Griffiths
- MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - H V Curran
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, Clinical Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK
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12
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Mamczarz J, Pescrille JD, Gavrushenko L, Burke RD, Fawcett WP, DeTolla LJ, Chen H, Pereira EFR, Albuquerque EX. Spatial learning impairment in prepubertal guinea pigs prenatally exposed to the organophosphorus pesticide chlorpyrifos: Toxicological implications. Neurotoxicology 2016; 56:17-28. [PMID: 27296654 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2016.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2016] [Revised: 06/09/2016] [Accepted: 06/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Exposure of the developing brain to chlorpyrifos (CPF), an organophosphorus (OP) pesticide used extensively in agriculture worldwide, has been associated with increased prevalence of cognitive deficits in children, particularly boys. The present study was designed to test the hypothesis that cognitive deficits induced by prenatal exposure to sub-acute doses of CPF can be reproduced in precocial small species. To address this hypothesis, pregnant guinea pigs were injected daily with CPF (25mg/kg,s.c.) or vehicle (peanut oil) for 10days starting on presumed gestation day (GD) 53-55. Offspring were born around GD 65, weaned on postnatal day (PND) 20, and subjected to behavioral tests starting around PND 30. On the day of birth, butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE), an OP bioscavenger used as a biomarker of OP exposures, and acetylcholinesterase (AChE), a major molecular target of OP compounds, were significantly inhibited in the blood of CPF-exposed offspring. In their brains, BuChE, but not AChE, was significantly inhibited. Prenatal CPF exposure had no significant effect on locomotor activity or on locomotor habituation, a form of non-associative memory assessed in open fields. Spatial navigation in the Morris water maze (MWM) was found to be sexually dimorphic among guinea pigs, with males outperforming females. Prenatal CPF exposure impaired spatial learning more significantly among male than female guinea pigs and, consequently, reduced the sexual dimorphism of the task. The results presented here, which strongly support the test hypothesis, reveal that the guinea pig is a valuable animal model for preclinical assessment of the developmental neurotoxicity of OP pesticides. These findings are far reaching as they lay the groundwork for future studies aimed at identifying therapeutic interventions to treat and/or prevent the neurotoxic effects of CPF in the developing brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacek Mamczarz
- Division of Translational Toxicology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States
| | - Joseph D Pescrille
- Division of Translational Toxicology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States
| | - Lisa Gavrushenko
- Division of Translational Toxicology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States
| | - Richard D Burke
- Division of Translational Toxicology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States
| | - William P Fawcett
- Division of Translational Toxicology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States
| | - Louis J DeTolla
- Program of Comparative Medicine and Departments of Pathology and Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States
| | - Hegang Chen
- Division of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States
| | - Edna F R Pereira
- Division of Translational Toxicology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States
| | - Edson X Albuquerque
- Division of Translational Toxicology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States.
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13
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Lovelace JW, Corches A, Vieira PA, Hiroto AS, Mackie K, Korzus E. An animal model of female adolescent cannabinoid exposure elicits a long-lasting deficit in presynaptic long-term plasticity. Neuropharmacology 2015; 99:242-55. [PMID: 25979486 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2015.04.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2014] [Revised: 04/16/2015] [Accepted: 04/29/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Cannabis continues to be the most accessible and popular illicit recreational drug. Whereas current data link adolescence cannabinoid exposure to increased risk for dependence on other drugs, depression, anxiety disorders and psychosis, the mechanism(s) underlying these adverse effects remains controversial. Here we show in a mouse model of female adolescent cannabinoid exposure deficient endocannabinoid (eCB)-mediated signaling and presynaptic forms of long-term depression at adult central glutamatergic synapses in the prefrontal cortex. Increasing endocannabinoid levels by blockade of monoacylglycerol lipase, the primary enzyme responsible for degrading the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), with the specific inhibitor JZL 184 ameliorates eCB-LTD deficits. The observed deficit in cortical presynaptic signaling may represent a neural maladaptation underlying network instability and abnormal cognitive functioning. Our study suggests that adolescent cannabinoid exposure may permanently impair brain functions, including the brain's intrinsic ability to appropriately adapt to external influences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan W Lovelace
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience Program, University of California Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Alex Corches
- Biomedical Sciences Program, University of California Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Philip A Vieira
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience Program, University of California Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Alex S Hiroto
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience Program, University of California Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Ken Mackie
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Gill Center for Biomedical Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Edward Korzus
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience Program, University of California Riverside, CA 92521, USA; Biomedical Sciences Program, University of California Riverside, CA 92521, USA.
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14
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Novier A, Diaz-Granados JL, Matthews DB. Alcohol use across the lifespan: An analysis of adolescent and aged rodents and humans. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2015; 133:65-82. [PMID: 25842258 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2015.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2014] [Revised: 01/26/2015] [Accepted: 03/20/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Adolescence and old age are unique periods of the lifespan characterized by differential sensitivity to the effects of alcohol. Adolescents and the elderly appear to be more vulnerable to many of alcohol's physiological and behavioral effects compared to adults. The current review explores the differential effects of acute alcohol, predominantly in terms of motor function and cognition, in adolescent and aged humans and rodents. Adolescents are less sensitive to the sedative-hypnotic, anxiolytic, and motor-impairing effects of acute alcohol, but research results are less consistent as it relates to alcohol's effects on cognition. Specifically, previous research has shown adolescents to be more, less, and similarly sensitive to alcohol-induced cognitive deficits compared to adults. These equivocal findings suggest that learning acquisition may be differentially affected by ethanol compared to memory, or that ethanol-induced cognitive deficits are task-dependent. Older rodents appear to be particularly vulnerable to the motor- and cognitive-impairing effects of acute alcohol relative to younger adults. Given that alcohol consumption and abuse is prevalent throughout the lifespan, it is important to recognize age-related differences in response to acute and long-term alcohol. Unfortunately, diagnostic measures and treatment options for alcohol dependence are rarely dedicated to adolescent and aging populations. As discussed, although much scientific advancement has been made regarding the differential effects of alcohol between adolescents and adults, research with the aged is underrepresented. Future researchers should be aware that adolescents and the aged are uniquely affected by alcohol and should continue to investigate alcohol's effects at different stages of maturation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adelle Novier
- Baylor University, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, One Bear Place #97334, Waco, TX 76798, United States
| | - Jaime L Diaz-Granados
- Baylor University, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, One Bear Place #97334, Waco, TX 76798, United States
| | - Douglas B Matthews
- Baylor University, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, One Bear Place #97334, Waco, TX 76798, United States; University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire, Department of Psychology, HHH 273, Eau Claire, WI 54702, United States.
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15
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Age differences in the role of the cannabinoid type 1 receptor on glutamatergic neurons in habituation and spatial memory acquisition. Life Sci 2015; 138:57-63. [PMID: 25744401 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2015.01.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2014] [Revised: 01/08/2015] [Accepted: 01/30/2015] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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16
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Castaneto MS, Gorelick DA, Desrosiers NA, Hartman RL, Pirard S, Huestis MA. Synthetic cannabinoids: epidemiology, pharmacodynamics, and clinical implications. Drug Alcohol Depend 2014; 144:12-41. [PMID: 25220897 PMCID: PMC4253059 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2014.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 425] [Impact Index Per Article: 42.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2014] [Revised: 08/04/2014] [Accepted: 08/05/2014] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Synthetic cannabinoids (SC) are a heterogeneous group of compounds developed to probe the endogenous cannabinoid system or as potential therapeutics. Clandestine laboratories subsequently utilized published data to develop SC variations marketed as abusable designer drugs. In the early 2000s, SC became popular as "legal highs" under brand names such as Spice and K2, in part due to their ability to escape detection by standard cannabinoid screening tests. The majority of SC detected in herbal products have greater binding affinity to the cannabinoid CB1 receptor than does Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive compound in the cannabis plant, and greater affinity at the CB1 than the CB2 receptor. In vitro and animal in vivo studies show SC pharmacological effects 2-100 times more potent than THC, including analgesic, anti-seizure, weight-loss, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer growth effects. SC produce physiological and psychoactive effects similar to THC, but with greater intensity, resulting in medical and psychiatric emergencies. Human adverse effects include nausea and vomiting, shortness of breath or depressed breathing, hypertension, tachycardia, chest pain, muscle twitches, acute renal failure, anxiety, agitation, psychosis, suicidal ideation, and cognitive impairment. Long-term or residual effects are unknown. Due to these public health consequences, many SC are classified as controlled substances. However, frequent structural modification by clandestine laboratories results in a stream of novel SC that may not be legally controlled or detectable by routine laboratory tests. METHODS We present here a comprehensive review, based on a systematic electronic literature search, of SC epidemiology and pharmacology and their clinical implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marisol S Castaneto
- Chemistry and Drug Metabolism, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, NIH, Baltimore, MD, United States; Program in Toxicology, University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - David A Gorelick
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Nathalie A Desrosiers
- Chemistry and Drug Metabolism, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, NIH, Baltimore, MD, United States; Program in Toxicology, University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Rebecca L Hartman
- Chemistry and Drug Metabolism, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, NIH, Baltimore, MD, United States; Program in Toxicology, University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Sandrine Pirard
- Chemistry and Drug Metabolism, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, NIH, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Marilyn A Huestis
- Chemistry and Drug Metabolism, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, NIH, Baltimore, MD, United States.
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17
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Swartzwelder H, Hogan A, Risher ML, Swartzwelder RA, Wilson WA, Acheson SK. Effect of sub-chronic intermittent ethanol exposure on spatial learning and ethanol sensitivity in adolescent and adult rats. Alcohol 2014; 48:353-60. [PMID: 24795209 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2014.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2013] [Revised: 02/17/2014] [Accepted: 02/25/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
It has become clear that adolescence is a period of distinct responsiveness to the acute effects of ethanol on learning and other cognitive functions. However, the effects of repeated intermittent ethanol exposure during adolescence on learning and cognition are less well studied, and other effects of repeated ethanol exposure such as withdrawal and chronic tolerance complicate such experiments. Moreover, few studies have compared the effects of repeated ethanol exposure during adolescence and adulthood, and they have yielded mixed outcomes that may be related to methodological differences and/or secondary effects of ethanol on behavioral performance. One emerging question is whether relatively brief intermittent ethanol exposure (i.e., sub-chronic exposure) during adolescence or adulthood might alter learning at a time after exposure when chronic tolerance would be expected, and whether tolerance to the cognitive effects of ethanol might influence the effect of ethanol on learning at that time. To address this, male adolescent and adult rats were pre-treated with sub-chronic daily ethanol (five doses [4.0 g/kg, i.p.] or saline at 24-h intervals, across 5 days). Two days after the last pre-exposure, spatial learning was assessed on 4 consecutive days using the Morris water maze. Half of the animals from each treatment cell received ethanol (2.0 g/kg, i.p.) 30 min prior to each testing session and half of the animals received saline. Ethanol pre-exposure altered water maze performance in adult animals but not in adolescents, and acute ethanol exposure impaired learning in animals of both ages independent of pre-exposure condition. There was no evidence of cognitive tolerance in animals of either age group. These results indicate that a relatively short period of intermittent ethanol exposure during adulthood, but not adolescence, promotes thigmotaxis in the water maze shortly after pre-exposure but does not induce cognitive tolerance to the effects of ethanol in either age group.
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18
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Zanettini C, Panlilio LV, Alicki M, Goldberg SR, Haller J, Yasar S. Effects of endocannabinoid system modulation on cognitive and emotional behavior. Front Behav Neurosci 2011; 5:57. [PMID: 21949506 PMCID: PMC3171696 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2011.00057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 143] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2011] [Accepted: 08/21/2011] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Cannabis has long been known to produce cognitive and emotional effects. Research has shown that cannabinoid drugs produce these effects by driving the brain’s endogenous cannabinoid system and that this system plays a modulatory role in many cognitive and emotional processes. This review focuses on the effects of endocannabinoid system modulation in animal models of cognition (learning and memory) and emotion (anxiety and depression). We review studies in which natural or synthetic cannabinoid agonists were administered to directly stimulate cannabinoid receptors or, conversely, where cannabinoid antagonists were administered to inhibit the activity of cannabinoid receptors. In addition, studies are reviewed that involved genetic disruption of cannabinoid receptors or genetic or pharmacological manipulation of the endocannabinoid-degrading enzyme, fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH). Endocannabinoids affect the function of many neurotransmitter systems, some of which play opposing roles. The diversity of cannabinoid roles and the complexity of task-dependent activation of neuronal circuits may lead to the effects of endocannabinoid system modulation being strongly dependent on environmental conditions. Recent findings are reviewed that raise the possibility that endocannabinoid signaling may change the impact of environmental influences on emotional and cognitive behavior rather than selectively affecting any specific behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudio Zanettini
- Department of Health and Human Services, Preclinical Pharmacology Section, Behavioral Neurosciences Branch, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health Baltimore, MD, USA
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19
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Mamczarz J, Kulkarni GS, Pereira EFR, Albuquerque EX. Galantamine counteracts development of learning impairment in guinea pigs exposed to the organophosphorus poison soman: clinical significance. Neurotoxicology 2011; 32:785-98. [PMID: 21784098 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2011.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2011] [Revised: 06/19/2011] [Accepted: 07/05/2011] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Galantamine, a drug used to treat Alzheimer's disease, protects guinea pigs against the acute toxicity and lethality of organophosphorus (OP) compounds, including soman. Here, we tested the hypothesis that a single exposure of guinea pigs to 1xLD50 soman triggers cognitive impairments that can be counteracted by galantamine. Thus, animals were injected intramuscularly with saline (0.5 ml/kg) or galantamine (8 mg/kg) and 30 min later injected subcutaneously with soman (26.3 μg/kg) or saline. Cognitive performance was analyzed in the Morris water maze (MWM) four days or three months after the soman challenge. Fifty percent of the saline-injected animals that were challenged with soman survived with mild-to-moderate signs of acute toxicity that subsided within a few hours. These animals showed no learning impairment and no memory retention deficit, when training in the MWM started four days post-soman challenge. In contrast, animals presented significant learning impairment when testing started three months post-challenge. Though the magnitude of the impairment correlated with the severity of the acute toxicity, animals that presented no or only mild signs of toxicity were also learning impaired. All guinea pigs that were treated with galantamine survived the soman challenge with no signs of acute toxicity and learned the MWM task as control animals, regardless of when testing began. Galantamine also prevented memory extinction in both saline- and soman-challenged animals. In conclusion, learning impairment develops months after a single exposure to 1xLD50 soman, and galantamine prevents both the acute toxicity and the delayed cognitive deficits triggered by this OP poison.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacek Mamczarz
- Division of Translational Toxicology, Department Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 10 S. Pine St. Suite 900, Baltimore, MD 21210, USA.
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