Although it is well established that cannabinoid drugs can influence cognitive performance, the findings-describing both enhancing and impairing effects-have been ambiguous. Here, we investigated the effects of posttraining systemic administration of the synthetic cannabinoid agonist WIN55,212-2 (0.1, 0.3, or 1.0 mg/kg) on short- and long-term retention of object recognition memory under two conditions that differed in their training-associated arousal level. In male Sprague-Dawley rats that were not previously habituated to the experimental context, WIN55,212-2 administered immediately after a 3-min training trial, biphasically impaired retention performance at a 1-h interval. In contrast, WIN55,212-2 enhanced 1-h retention of rats that had received extensive prior habituation to the experimental context. Interestingly, immediate posttraining administration of WIN55,212-2 to non-habituated rats, in doses that impaired 1-h retention, enhanced object recognition performance at a 24-h interval. Posttraining WIN55,212-2 administration to habituated rats did not significantly affect 24-h retention. In light of intimate interactions between cannabinoids and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, we further investigated whether cannabinoid administration might differently influence training-induced glucocorticoid activity in rats in these two habituation conditions. WIN55,212-2 administered after object recognition training elevated plasma corticosterone levels in non-habituated rats whereas it decreased corticosterone levels in habituated rats. Most importantly, following pretreatment with the corticosterone-synthesis inhibitor metyrapone, WIN55,212-2 effects on 1- and 24-h retention of non-habituated rats became similar to those seen in the low-aroused habituated animals, indicating that cannabinoid-induced regulation of adrenocortical activity contributes to the environmentally sensitive effects of systemically administered cannabinoids on short- and long-term retention of object recognition memory.

Novelty-Induced Emotional Arousal Modulates Cannabinoid Effects on Recognition Memory and Adrenocortical Activity / Campolongo, Patrizia; Morena, Maria; Scaccianoce, Sergio; Trezza, Viviana; Flavia, Chiarotti; Gustav, Schelling; Cuomo, Vincenzo; Benno, Roozendaal. - In: NEUROPSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY. - ISSN 0893-133X. - 38:7(2013), pp. 1276-1286. [10.1038/npp.2013.26]

Novelty-Induced Emotional Arousal Modulates Cannabinoid Effects on Recognition Memory and Adrenocortical Activity

CAMPOLONGO, Patrizia;MORENA, MARIA;SCACCIANOCE, Sergio;TREZZA, Viviana;CUOMO, VINCENZO;
2013

Abstract

Although it is well established that cannabinoid drugs can influence cognitive performance, the findings-describing both enhancing and impairing effects-have been ambiguous. Here, we investigated the effects of posttraining systemic administration of the synthetic cannabinoid agonist WIN55,212-2 (0.1, 0.3, or 1.0 mg/kg) on short- and long-term retention of object recognition memory under two conditions that differed in their training-associated arousal level. In male Sprague-Dawley rats that were not previously habituated to the experimental context, WIN55,212-2 administered immediately after a 3-min training trial, biphasically impaired retention performance at a 1-h interval. In contrast, WIN55,212-2 enhanced 1-h retention of rats that had received extensive prior habituation to the experimental context. Interestingly, immediate posttraining administration of WIN55,212-2 to non-habituated rats, in doses that impaired 1-h retention, enhanced object recognition performance at a 24-h interval. Posttraining WIN55,212-2 administration to habituated rats did not significantly affect 24-h retention. In light of intimate interactions between cannabinoids and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, we further investigated whether cannabinoid administration might differently influence training-induced glucocorticoid activity in rats in these two habituation conditions. WIN55,212-2 administered after object recognition training elevated plasma corticosterone levels in non-habituated rats whereas it decreased corticosterone levels in habituated rats. Most importantly, following pretreatment with the corticosterone-synthesis inhibitor metyrapone, WIN55,212-2 effects on 1- and 24-h retention of non-habituated rats became similar to those seen in the low-aroused habituated animals, indicating that cannabinoid-induced regulation of adrenocortical activity contributes to the environmentally sensitive effects of systemically administered cannabinoids on short- and long-term retention of object recognition memory.
2013
cannabinoid receptor; glucocorticoids; cannabinoid receptors; 212-2; emotional arousal; hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (hpa) axis; corticosterone levels; win55
01 Pubblicazione su rivista::01a Articolo in rivista
Novelty-Induced Emotional Arousal Modulates Cannabinoid Effects on Recognition Memory and Adrenocortical Activity / Campolongo, Patrizia; Morena, Maria; Scaccianoce, Sergio; Trezza, Viviana; Flavia, Chiarotti; Gustav, Schelling; Cuomo, Vincenzo; Benno, Roozendaal. - In: NEUROPSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY. - ISSN 0893-133X. - 38:7(2013), pp. 1276-1286. [10.1038/npp.2013.26]
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11573/508322
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