Effects on sleep and dopamine levels of microdialysis perfusion of cannabidiol into the lateral hypothalamus of rats.
OBJECTIVE
The major non-psychoactive component of Cannabis sativa, cannabidiol (CBD), displays a plethora of actions including wakefulness. In the present study, we addressed whether perfusing CBD via microdialysis into lateral hypothalamus (LH) during the lights-on period would modify the sleep-wake cycle of rats as well as the contents of dopamine (DA) collected from nucleus accumbens (AcbC). Additionally, we tested whether perfusion of CBD into LH would block the sleep rebound after a sleep deprivation period.


METHODS
Electroencephalogram and electromyogram electrodes were implanted in rats as well as a guide-cannula aimed to LH or AcbC. CBD perfusion was carried out via cannulae placed into LH whereas contents of DA were collected from AcbC and analyzed using HPLC means.


RESULTS
We found that microdialysis perfusion of CBD (30, 60, or 90 nM) into LH of rat enhances alertness and suppresses sleep. This effect was accompanied with an increase in DA extracellular levels collected from the AcbC. Furthermore, perfusion of CBD into LH after total sleep deprivation prevented the sleep rebound.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings enhance the investigation about the neurobiological properties of CBD on sleep modulation.
Laboratorio de Neurociencias Moleculares e Integrativas, Escuela de Medicina, División Ciencias de Salud, Universidad Anáhuac Mayab, Mérida, Yucatán, México. eric.murillo@anahuac.mx
Eric
E
Murillo-Rodríguez
Marcela
M
Palomero-Rivero
Diana
D
Millán-Aldaco
Raphael
R
Mechoulam
René
R
Drucker-Colín
D000818:Animals; D002185:Cannabidiol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D004567:Electrodes, Implanted; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004576:Electromyography; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D017551:Microdialysis; D009714:Nucleus Accumbens / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D010477:Perfusion; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012890:Sleep / Q000187:drug effects*; D012892:Sleep Deprivation / Q000378:metabolism
D002185:Cannabidiol; D004298:Dopamine