Delay- and dose-dependent effects of Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol administration on spatial and object working memory tasks in adolescent rhesus monkeys.
Christopher D. Verrico, Shijing Liu, Elizabeth J Bitler, Hong Gu, Allan R Sampson, Charles W. Bradberry, David A Lewis
Neuropsychopharmacology May 2012 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2011.321 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Adolescent rhesus monkeys |
| Intervention | Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) |
| Dose | 30-240 μg/kg |
| Topics | Cannabis |
| Key findings | Intravenous THC (30–240 μg/kg) did not significantly affect object working memory accuracy in adolescent rhesus monkeys, but impaired spatial working memory accuracy in a delay- and dose-dependent manner, without motor or motivational impairment. The authors argue these data support the idea that immature cognitive functions are more sensitive to acute THC. |
Abstract
Among adolescents, the perception that cannabis can cause harm has decreased and use has increased. However, in rodents, cannabinoid administration during adolescence induces working memory (WM) deficits that are more severe than if the same exposure occurs during adulthood. As both object and spatial WM mature in a protracted manner, although apparently along different trajectories, adolescent cannabis users may be more susceptible to impairments in one type of WM. Here, we evaluate the acute effects of a range of doses (30-240 μg/kg) of intravenous Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) administration on the performance of spatial and object WM tasks in adolescent rhesus monkeys. Accuracy on the object WM task was not significantly affected by any dose of THC. In contrast, THC administration impaired accuracy on the spatial WM task in a delay- and dose-dependent manner. Importantly, the THC-induced spatial WM deficits were not because of motor or motivational impairments. These data support the idea that immature cognitive functions are more sensitive to the acute effects of THC.
Comparable studies
Other preclinical and animal studies on cannabis, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 6
- Drug models of schizophrenia. Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology February 1, 2015
- Are adolescents more vulnerable to the harmful effects of cannabis than adults? A placebo-controlled study in human males Translational Psychiatry November 29, 2016
- Chronic Δ9-THC in Rhesus Monkeys: Effects on Cognitive Performance and Dopamine D2/D3 Receptor Availability. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics February 2018
- Effects of Adolescent Cannabinoid Self-Administration in Rats on Addiction-Related Behaviors and Working Memory. Neuropsychopharmacology April 2017
- Repeated Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol exposure in adolescent monkeys: persistent effects selective for spatial working memory. American Journal of Psychiatry April 2014
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Cites 6
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