Cannabinoid exposure in adolescent female rats induces transgenerational effects on morphine conditioned place preference in male offspring
Journal of Psychopharmacology April 19, 2012 J. Byrnes, Nicole L. Johnson, M. Schenk et al.
Exposure to a cannabinoid receptor agonist during female rats' adolescence makes their male offspring more sensitive to morphine's rewarding effects. Female rats received WIN 55,212-2 or vehicle for three days starting at 30 days of age, then were mated at 60 days. Their adolescent and adult male offspring were tested with morphine using conditioned place preference. Both adolescent and adult offspring of WIN-treated females showed greater sensitivity to morphine than offspring of vehicle-treated females. The authors argue these findings provide additional evidence that adolescent drug use can have transgenerational effects.