Dissertation committee:
Ζ.Παπαδοπούλου-Νταϊφώτη, Ομότιμη Καθηγήτρια Φαρμακολογίας, Γ. Παπαδόπουλος Αναπληρωτής Καθηγητής Φαρμακολογίας, Αικ. Αντωνίου Επίκουρη Καθηγήτρια Φαρμακολογίας
Summary:
Exogenous cannabinoids and the endocannabinoid system are both involved in
several functions and disorders of CNS. The present study aimed to investigate
specific behavioural and neurochemical changes following cannabinoid
administration. In particular, the interactions between agonists of CB1
receptors and processes of memory and learning, as well as with the
glutamatergic system, were investigated, The synthetic cannabinoid WIN 55-212,2
and also Δ9-THC, the main psychoactive compound of cannabis, were used for the
goals of this study.
Our study results showed that, low doses of WIN 55,212-2, which are not
expected to affect locomotion, impair non-associative memory, different aspects
of recognition memory and spatial memory as well.
Concerning glutamatergic interactions, both low, non-hypolocomotor and higher,
hypolocomotor doses of WIN 55,212-2 and Δ9-THC altered glutamate tissue
concentrations in several brain regions. More specifically, WIN 55,212-2
increased extracellular glutamate levels in the prefrontal cortex, opposingly
to the glutamate decrease in subcortical areas.
In conclusion, cannabinoids used in the present study (Δ9-THC and WIN
55-212,2), following an acute, systemic protocol of administration, induced
significant changes in behavioural tasks of memory and learning and also ex
vivo and in vivo alterations in glutamatergic functions in different brain
regions relating with motor activity, the reward circuitry, neural plasticity
and cognition.
Keywords:
Cannabinoids, Cognition, Glutamate, Object recognition task, Microdialysis
