Evaluation of reinforcing and aversive effects of voluntary Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol ingestion in rats.
Daniel G Barrus, Timothy W Lefever, Jenny L Wiley
Neuropharmacology July 15, 2018 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2018.04.018 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Preclinical rodent voluntary ingestion study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Adult male and female Sprague Dawley rats |
| Duration | Four-session exposure periods |
| Topics | Cannabis |
| Keywords | Cannabinoid Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol Oral Self-administration Taste preference |
| Key points | Oral THC dose-dependently decreased initial drinking but drinking generally increased with repeated sessions, while injected THC produced sustained dose-dependent decreases in drinking in both sexes. Subsequent exposure to THC-paired flavors without THC further reduced drinking, suggesting route-specific aversion. Self-administration of ingested THC was not demonstrated, though the authors suggest certain routes or rates of THC administration may mitigate some aversive effects. |
Abstract
Edible cannabis-infused products are an increasingly popular method of using cannabis in the United States. Yet, preclinical research to determine mechanisms underlying abuse of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive constituent of cannabis, has focused primarily on the effects of parenteral administration. The purpose of this study was to examine the rewarding and aversive effects of oral THC in a novel rodent voluntary ingestion model. Adult male and female Sprague Dawley rats were given access to sucrose-sweetened solutions during daily sessions. A range of THC concentrations, each paired with a unique flavor previously tested alone, was introduced into these solutions for four-session exposure periods and drinking volumes were measured. Injected (i.p.) THC doses were also paired with unique flavors to compare the effects of route of THC administration on drinking. Introduction of THC into sucrose solutions dose-dependently decreased drinking upon initial exposure, though drinking generally increased in subsequent sessions. By contrast, i.p. THC produced sustained dose-dependent decreases in drinking in rats of both sexes. Subsequent exposure to paired flavors in the absence of THC resulted in further decreases in drinking, suggesting route-specific aversion. Additional testing using saccharin-sweetened solutions in a two-bottle choice paradigm was also conducted, with THC producing sustained dose-dependent decreases in drinking after initial exposure in rats of both sexes. Though self-administration of ingested THC was not demonstrated, evidence of route-specific THC aversion was observed, which suggests that certain routes and/or rates of THC administration may mitigate some of its aversive effects.
Comparable studies
Other preclinical and animal studies on cannabis, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 3
- Optogenetic brain‐stimulation reward: A new procedure to re‐evaluate the rewarding versus aversive effects of cannabinoids in dopamine transporter‐Cre mice Addiction Biology February 3, 2021
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- Cannabinoids, interoception, and anxiety. Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior May 1, 2019
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and 2 more in the library