title: Long-term behavioural and neuroendocrine effects of perinatal activation or blockade of CB1 cannabinoid receptors.
abstract: The present work studied the long-term effects of chronic perinatal manipulation of cannabinoid CB1 receptors in male and female rats. Perinatal activation of cannabinoid CB1 receptors by chronic administration of delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol at different doses (0.1, 0.5, 2 mg/kg, p.o.) induced sexually dimorphic behavioural changes in adulthood, altering habituation of locomotion, immobility and exploratory activity. These behavioural effects were also accompanied by alterations in corticosterone levels in the adult period. Prenatal blockade of CB1 receptors by chronic administration of 3 mg/kg (s.c.) of SR141716A decreased immobility behaviour in male and female animals, without any significant changes in corticosterone plasma levels. Cannabinoid CB1 receptors appear to play an important role in the ontogeny of psychomotor behaviours, and activation or blockade of these receptors during stages of plasticity, such as the prenatal or perinatal periods, can induce long-term effects, as shown by sexually dimorphic changes in behavioural patterns in adulthood.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Psicobiología, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28223, Spain. margamoreno75@yahoo.es
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Escuredo
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Muñoz
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rodriguez de Fonseca
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Navarro
mesh_terms: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D013759:Dronabinol / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D010880:Piperidines / Q000494:pharmacology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D011720:Pyrazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D043884:Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1 / Q000819:agonists / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology*; D000077285:Rimonabant; D012737:Sex Factors; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D010880:Piperidines; D011720:Pyrazoles; D043884:Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1; D013759:Dronabinol; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D000077285:Rimonabant; D003345:Corticosterone