Peri-adolescent THC exposure does not lead to anxiety-like behavior in adult mice

Abstract As marijuana use during adolescence has been increasing, the need to understand the effects of its long-term use becomes crucial. Previous research suggested that marijuana consumption during adolescence increases the risk of developing mental illness, such as schizophrenia, depression, and...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inbioRxiv
Main Authors Sestan-Pesa, Matija, Shanabrough, Marya, Horvath, Tamas L, Miletta, Maria Consolata
Format Paper
LanguageEnglish
Published Cold Spring Harbor Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press 01.09.2020
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Edition1.1
Subjects
Adolescents
Animal Behavior and Cognition
Animal models
Anxiety
Behavior
Cannabis
Child development
Feeding behavior
Genotypes
Ghrelin
Growth hormones
Mental depression
Mental disorders
Rodents
Schizophrenia
Tetrahydrocannabinol
THC
peri-adolescence
endocannabinoid system
GHSR signaling
Ghrelin
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)
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Summary:Abstract As marijuana use during adolescence has been increasing, the need to understand the effects of its long-term use becomes crucial. Previous research suggested that marijuana consumption during adolescence increases the risk of developing mental illness, such as schizophrenia, depression, and anxiety. Ghrelin is a peptide produced primarily in the gut and is important for feeding behavior. Recent studies have shown that ghrelin and its receptor, the growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHSR) play important roles in mediating stress, as well as anxiety and, depression-like behaviors in animal models. Here, we investigated the effects of chronic Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) administration during adolescence (P42-55), in GHSR (GHSR-/-) knockout mice and their wild type littermates in relation to anxiety-like behaviors. We found that continuous THC exposure during peri-adolescence did not lead to any significant alterations in anxiety-like behavior of male adult mice, regardless of genotype. These data indicate that in the presence of intact GHSR signaling, THC exposure during peri-adolescence has limited if any long term impact on anxiety-like behaviors in mice. Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest.
Bibliography:SourceType-Working Papers-1
ObjectType-Working Paper/Pre-Print-1
content type line 50
Competing Interest Statement: The authors have declared no competing interest.
ISSN:2692-8205
2692-8205
DOI:10.1101/2020.08.31.274274