Abstract
As the frequency of cannabis use by 14–16-year-olds increases, it becomes increasingly important to understand the effect of cannabis on the developing central nervous system. Using mice as a model system, we treated adolescent (28 day old) C57BL6/J mice of both sexes for 3 weeks with 3 mg/kg tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Starting a week after the last treatment, several cognitive behaviors were analyzed. Mice treated with THC as adolescents acquired proficiency in a working memory task more slowly than vehicle-treated mice. Working memory recall in both sexes of THC-treated mice was also deficient during increasing cognitive load compared to vehicle-treated mice. Our adolescent THC treatment did not strongly affect social preference, anxiety behaviors, or decision-making behaviors on the elevated T maze task. In summary, under the conditions of this study, adolescent THC treatment of mice markedly affected the establishment, and persistence of working memory, while having little effect on decision-making, social preference or anxiety behaviors. This study provides further support that adolescent THC affects specific behavioral domains.
Highlights
In the United States, cannabis is the most commonly used illicit intoxicating substance used by adolescents [1]
In order to address these open issues, in this study we examined a series of cognition-related behaviors in mice of both sexes after adolescent treatment with 9-THC to identify consequences of its use on young adult cognitive behaviors and determine if males and females were differentially affected
We decided to use an elevated T-maze to examine whether adolescent 9-THC exposure affects a mouse’s decision-making behavior as indicated by the rapidity of decision making under two different levels of risk
Summary
In the United States, cannabis is the most commonly used illicit intoxicating substance used by adolescents [1]. In 2018, almost 7% of young adults ages 12–17 had used marijuana in the previous month [2]. While there is a general perception among teenagers that using marijuana is safer than using cigarettes, as will be discussed below, a substantial body of evidence suggests that heavy marijuana users are at risk for developing cognitive deficits. 9-tetrahydrocannabinol ( 9-THC) is the primary intoxicating compound in marijuana [4]. A single dose of 3mg/kg 9-THC given to adult rats reduces memory performance [5] and multifractality of memory-correlated hippocampus neurons [6]. Memory deficits are present in heavy adult human cannabis users after at least 7 days of abstinence, but resolve by 28 days of abstinence [7]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
