Repeated exposure to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol reduces prefrontal cortical dopamine metabolism in the rat
J. Jentsch, Christopher D. Verrico, D. Le, R. H. Roth
April 10, 1998 DOI: 10.1016/s0304-3940(98)00254-7 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study |
|---|---|
| Population | Rats |
| Intervention | delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol |
| Duration | 2 weeks |
| Topics | Cannabis |
| Key findings | Two weeks of delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol administration reduced dopamine transmission in the medial prefrontal cortex of rats, while striatal dopamine metabolism was unaffected, suggesting that cannabis-related cognitive deficits may stem from altered frontal cortical dopamine transmission. |
Abstract
Long-term abuse of marijuana by humans can induce profound behavioral deficits characterized by cognitive and memory impairments. In particular, deficits on tasks dependent on frontal lobe function have been reported in cannabis abusers. In the current study, we examined whether long-term exposure to delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol, the active ingredient in marijuana, altered the neurochemistry of the frontal cortex in rats. Two weeks administration of delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol reduced dopamine transmission in the medial prefrontal cortex, while dopamine metabolism in striatal regions was unaffected. These data are consistent with earlier findings of dopaminergic regulation of frontal cortical cognition. Thus, cognitive deficits in heavy abusers of cannabis may be subserved by drug-induced alterations in frontal cortical dopamine transmission.
Comparable studies
Other preclinical and animal studies on cannabis, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 12
- Cannabis‐related deficits in real‐world memory Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental March 1, 2012
- Subjective Effects of Cannabis Before the First Psychotic Episode Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry December 1, 2009
- Cross cultural studies on adolescent cannabis use and psychosis 2011
- The association between regular cannabis exposure and alterations of human brain morphology: an updated review of the literature. Current Pharmaceutical Design 2014
- Effects of Endocannabinoid System Modulation on Cognitive and Emotional Behavior Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience July 22, 2011
and 7 more in the library
Cites 3
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