A single low dose of tetrahydrocannabinol induces long-term cognitive deficits.
Delta(9)-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) was shown to exert either neuroprotective or neurotoxic effects. Based on our in vitro studies and on pharmacokinetic considerations, we have recently presented a hypothesis that explains this dual activity of THC. This explanation is based on the assumption that extremely low doses of cannabinoids are neurotoxic. The present study verifies this assumption and shows that a single injection of 0.001 mg/kg THC (3-4 orders of magnitude lower than conventional doses) significantly affected the performance of mice in the Morris water maze test 3 weeks later. The THC-injected mice showed both longer escape latencies and lower scores in the probe tests compared to their matched controls, indicating the induction of cognitive deficits.
Tselnicker
Isabella
I
The Mauerberger Chair in Neuropharmacology, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 69978, Israel.
Keren
Ora
O
Hefetz
Aya
A
Pick
Chaim G
CG
Sarne
Yosef
Y
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D013759:Dronabinol / Q000633:toxicity*; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D013997:Time Factors
D013759:Dronabinol