title: Infusion of cannabidiol into infralimbic cortex facilitates fear extinction via CB1 receptors.
abstract: Previous studies have implicated cannabinoids in extinction of conditioned fear. We have recently showed that intraventricular infusion of the phytocannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD) facilitates fear extinction, but the brain regions underlying this effect remained unknown. Here we demonstrate that repeated microinjections of CBD into the infralimbic cortex (IL) facilitated fear extinction, as indicated by reduced levels of freezing during extinction test. Systemic administration of the CB1 receptor antagonist rimonabant blocked the effects of intra-IL CBD, suggesting that CBD acts through CB1 receptors to facilitate fear extinction. Our findings suggest a potential therapeutic use of CBD for extinction-based therapies of aversive memories in humans.
authors: Departamento de Farmacologia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil. fabriciodomonte@gmail.com
authors: Fabricio H
authors: FH
authors: Do Monte
authors: Rimenez R
authors: RR
authors: Souza
authors: Rafael M
authors: RM
authors: Bitencourt
authors: Juliana A
authors: JA
authors: Kroon
authors: Reinaldo N
authors: RN
authors: Takahashi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002185:Cannabidiol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D063387:Cannabinoid Receptor Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D003214:Conditioning, Classical / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004597:Electroshock / Q000009:adverse effects; D005108:Extinction, Psychological / Q000187:drug effects*; D005239:Fear / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000523:psychology; D046352:Freezing Reaction, Cataleptic / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008845:Microinjections; D010880:Piperidines / Q000494:pharmacology; D011720:Pyrazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D043884:Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D000077285:Rimonabant; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D063387:Cannabinoid Receptor Antagonists; D010880:Piperidines; D011720:Pyrazoles; D043884:Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1; D002185:Cannabidiol; D000077285:Rimonabant