The Effects of Peripubertal THC Exposure in Neurodevelopmental Rat Models of Psychopathology
International Journal of Molecular Sciences February 15, 2023 Martina di Bartolomeo, Tibor Stark, Serena di Martino et al. 23 citations
Rats exposed to the toxin methylazoxymethanol acetate (MAM) before birth or to THC shortly after birth showed adult behaviors resembling schizophrenia, such as social withdrawal and memory problems, along with increased expression of cannabinoid and dopamine receptor genes in the prefrontal cortex linked to DNA methylation changes. Giving THC during adolescence impaired social behavior in otherwise healthy rats but did not worsen the schizophrenia-like traits in rats already exposed to THC after birth. In rats exposed to MAM before birth, adolescent THC paradoxically reversed their memory deficit by altering dopamine receptor gene expression. The effects of adolescent THC exposure appear to depend on individual differences in dopamine signaling.