Psychopharmacology
July 14, 2026
Kate A Lawson, Stephen V Mahler
In humans, researchers can readily query the subjective states elicited by drugs of abuse, but no such introspective readout is currently available in rodents. Rats can convey information relevant to their internal states via ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs). We sought to measure USVs and locomotor behavior as parallel behavioral indices of the effects of drugs and ventral tegmental area...
Psychopharmacology
February 1, 2025
Maricela X. Martinez, Vanessa Alizo Vera, Christina M. Ruiz et al.
1 citation
Adolescent cannabis use is linked to later-life changes in cognition, learning, and memory. Rodent experimental studies suggest Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) influences development of circuits underlying these processes, especially in the prefrontal cortex, which matures during adolescence. We determined how 14 daily THC injections (5 mg/kg) during adolescence persistently impacts medial...
Psychopharmacology
May 2023
Briac Halbout, Collin Hutson, Leann Hua et al.
The endocannabinoid system makes critical contributions to reward processing, motivation, and behavioral control. Repeated exposure to THC or other cannabinoid drugs can cause persistent adaptions in the endocannabinoid system and associated neural circuitry. It remains unclear how such treatments affect the way rewards are processed and pursued. We examined if repeated THC exposure (5...
Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research
December 2022
Alexa Torrens, Pritam Roy, Lin Lin et al.
Introduction: Studies in rodent models have shown that adolescent exposure to Δ9-THC, the psychotropic constituent of cannabis, produces long-lasting alterations in brain function and behavior. However, our understanding of how age and sex might influence the distribution and metabolism of THC in laboratory rodents is still incomplete. In the present report, we provide a comparative analysis of...
Psychopharmacology
December 2021
C M Ruiz, Alexa Torrens, Valeria Lallai et al.
Adolescent exposure to ∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychotropic constituent of cannabis, might affect brain development, and in rodent models leads to long-term behavioral and physiological alterations. Yet, the basic pharmacology of this drug in adolescent rodents, especially when ingested via ecologically relevant routes like aerosol inhalation, commonly referred to as "vaping," is...