title: Memory-rescuing effects of cannabidiol in an animal model of cognitive impairment relevant to neurodegenerative disorders.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cannabidiol, the main nonpsychotropic constituent of Cannabis sativa, possesses a large number of pharmacological effects including anticonvulsive, sedative, hypnotic, anxiolytic, antipsychotic, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective, as demonstrated in clinical and preclinical studies. Many neurodegenerative disorders involve cognitive deficits, and this has led to interest in whether cannabidiol could be useful in the treatment of memory impairment associated to these diseases.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We used an animal model of cognitive impairment induced by iron overload in order to test the effects of cannabidiol in memory-impaired rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rats received vehicle or iron at postnatal days 12-14. At the age of 2 months, they received an acute intraperitoneal injection of vehicle or cannabidiol (5.0 or 10.0 mg/kg) immediately after the training session of the novel object recognition task. In order to investigate the effects of chronic cannabidiol, iron-treated rats received daily intraperitoneal injections of cannabidiol for 14 days. Twenty-four hours after the last injection, they were submitted to object recognition training. Retention tests were performed 24 h after training.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A single acute injection of cannabidiol at the highest dose was able to recover memory in iron-treated rats. Chronic cannabidiol improved recognition memory in iron-treated rats. Acute or chronic cannabidiol does not affect memory in control rats.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present findings provide evidence suggesting the potential use of cannabidiol for the treatment of cognitive decline associated with neurodegenerative disorders. Further studies, including clinical trials, are warranted to determine the usefulness of cannabidiol in humans suffering from neurodegenerative disorders.
authors.affiliation: Neurobiology and Developmental Biology Laboratory, Faculty of Biosciences, Pontifical Catholic University, 90619-900 Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Elen V
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Fagherazzi
authors.forename: Vanessa A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: Natasha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Maurmann
authors.forename: Thielly
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bervanger
authors.forename: Luis H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Halmenschlager
authors.forename: Stefano B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Busato
authors.forename: Jaime E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Hallak
authors.forename: Antônio W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Zuardi
authors.forename: José A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Crippa
authors.forename: Nadja
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Schröder
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002185:Cannabidiol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D019190:Iron Overload / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D002185:Cannabidiol