Hippocampal D1-like dopamine receptor as a novel target for the effect of cannabidiol on extinction and reinstatement of methamphetamine-induced CPP

Abstract

Methamphetamine (METH) is a major health problem without effective pharmacological treatment. Cannabidiol (CBD), a component of the Cannabis sativa plant, is believed to have the potential to inhibit drug-related behavior. However, the neurobiological mechanisms responsible for the effects of CBD remain unclear. Several studies have proposed that the suppressing effects of CBD on drug-seeking behaviors could be through the modulation of the dopamine system. The hippocampus (HIP) D1-like dopamine receptor (D1R) is essential for forming and retrieving drug-associated memory. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the role of D1R in the hippocampal CA1 region on the effects of CBD on the extinction and reinstatement of METH-conditioned place preference (CPP). For this purpose, different groups of rats over a 10-day extinction period were administered different doses of intra-CA1 SCH23390 (0.25, 1, or 4 μg/0.5 μl, Saline) as a D1R antagonist before ICV injection of CBD (10 μg/5 μl, DMSO12%). In addition, a different set of animals received intra-CA1 SCH23390 (0.25, 1, or 4 μg/0.5 μl) before CBD injection (50 μg/5 μl) on the reinstatement day. The results revealed that the highest dose of SCH23390 (4 μg) significantly reduced the accelerating effects of CBD on the extinction of METH-CPP (P < 0.01). Furthermore, SCH23390 (1 and 4 μg) in the reinstatement phase notably reversed the preventive effects of CBD on the reinstatement of drug-seeking behavior (P < 0.05 and P < 0.001, respectively). In conclusion, the current study revealed that CBD made a shorter extinction period and suppressed METH reinstatement in part by interacting with D1-like dopamine receptors in the CA1 area of HIP.