title: The effect of delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol on the extinction of an adverse associative memory.
abstract: The cannabinoid Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta(9)-THC) is currently being employed or tested for a number of therapeutic uses. Cannabinoid CB1 receptors are critically involved in adverse memory extinction. It is not known whether an unintended effect of Delta(9)-THC is increased extinction rates of adverse memories. We therefore tested the effect of Delta(9)-THC on adverse memory extinction using an auditory-stimulus/foot shock paradigm. We found that repeated administration of a high dose of Delta(9)-THC over 6 days retarded extinction compared with controls. This is in contrast to other reports and might be a result of endocannabinoid signalling dysfunction due to cannabinoid receptor densensitization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Otago Medical School, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. john.ashton@stonebow.otago.ac.nz
authors.forename: John C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Ashton
authors.forename: Paul F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Cynthia L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Darlington
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D003213:Conditioning, Psychological / Q000187:drug effects; D004327:Drinking Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D013759:Dronabinol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005108:Extinction, Psychological / Q000187:drug effects*; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D043884:Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1 / Q000819:agonists; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D011619:Psychotropic Drugs; D043884:Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1; D013759:Dronabinol