Sex‐dependent long‐term effects of adolescent exposure to THC and/or MDMA on neuroinflammation and serotoninergic and cannabinoid systems in rats
British Journal of Pharmacology November 15, 2013 Ana Belén López-rodríguez, Alvaro Llorente‐berzal, Luis Miguel García‐segura et al. 50 citations
In adolescent rats, chronic treatment with THC (the main psychoactive component of cannabis) and/or MDMA (ecstasy) caused long-lasting, sex-dependent changes in brain inflammation and serotonin markers. In males, both drugs increased reactive microglia (a sign of neuroinflammation). In females, each drug alone decreased reactive microglia, but the combination brought levels back to normal. MDMA reduced serotonin-transporter fibers in both sexes; THC counteracted this in males but not females. THC also reduced CB1 cannabinoid receptors in females, an effect worsened by adding MDMA. These results show that adolescent exposure to these drugs produces persistent, sex-specific neurochemical and glial alterations.