Effect of delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol on short-term memory in the rat.
F Molina-Holgado, M I González, M L Leret
Physiology & Behavior January 1995 DOI: 10.1016/0031-9384(94)00201-f (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Animal experiment Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Male Wistar rats |
| Dose | 5 mg/kg |
| Duration | Acute single dose; memory tested after 35 days of training |
| Measures | Radial 8-arm maze (5 s delay), HPLC-ED measurement of 5-HT and 5-HIAA |
| Topics | Cannabis |
| Key findings | Acute oral THC (5 mg/kg) impaired short-term memory in the radial 8-arm maze: control rats performed without errors while treated rats made a significant number of errors (Mann-Whitney Z = 0.019). Serotonin turnover did not differ between treated and control animals, so the authors report the behavioral effect did not seem related to serotonergic alterations. |
Abstract
We have reported that marihuana and its principal psycoactive compound, delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta 9-THC) produce alterations in several cerebral areas after acute treatment. Based on the involvement of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) on memory and learning and the reported effects of delta 9-THC on short-term memory, we designed an experiment to evaluate the memory performance and its possible relationship with serotonergic alterations after delta 9-THC administration. Male Wistar rats received an acute oral dose of THC (5 mg/kg). Short-Term memory was tested on a radial 8-arm maze with a 5 s delay, after 35 days of training. The animals were food deprived and adjusted for growth. 5-HT and its metabolite, 5-HIAA, levels were measured in cerebral cortex, dorsal hippocampus, ventral hippocampus, rostral neoestriatum and amygdala basal nucleus, by HPLC-ED. The experiment indicates an impairment of short-term memory in the radial maze test after delta 9-THC administration. The control group performed the test without errors, while the treated group made a significant number of errors (Z = 0.019, Mann-Whitney test). This behavioral effect did not seem to be related to serotonergic alterations, as the 5-HT turnover rate was not different between treated and control animals.
Comparable studies
Other preclinical and animal studies on cannabis, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 5
- The synthetic cannabinoid HU210 induces spatial memory deficits and suppresses hippocampal firing rate in rats. British Journal of Pharmacology July 2007
- Co-administration of THC and MDMA ('ecstasy') synergistically disrupts memory in rats. Neuropsychopharmacology August 2005
- Delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol-induced alterations in limbic system glucose use in the rat. Neuroreport November 16, 2001
- Comparative effects of alcohol and marijuana on mood, memory, and performance. Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior September 1, 1997
- Delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol increases prefrontal cortical catecholaminergic utilization and impairs spatial working memory in the rat: blockade of dopaminergic effects with HA966. Neuropsychopharmacology June 1997