Effects of cannabinoid drugs on the deficit of prepulse inhibition of startle in an animal model of schizophrenia: the SHR strain
Frontiers in Pharmacology January 1, 2014 Raquel Levin, Fernanda Fiel Peres, Valéria de Almeida et al. 73 citations
Cannabinoid drugs affect sensorimotor gating deficits in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs), a strain used as an animal model of schizophrenia. SHRs showed reduced prepulse inhibition (PPI) compared to Wistar rats, indicating impaired sensorimotor gating. The cannabinoid agonist WIN55212 (1 mg/kg) and cannabidiol (30 mg/kg) reversed this PPI deficit, while the CB1 antagonist rimonabant (0.75 mg/kg) worsened it. The anandamide uptake inhibitor AM404 had no effect. These findings suggest cannabinoid drugs may offer therapeutic strategies for schizophrenia-related sensorimotor gating impairments.