title: CB1 receptor antagonism in the granular insular cortex or somatosensory area facilitates consolidation of object recognition memory.
abstract: Cannabinoid agonists typically impair memory, whereas CB1 receptor antagonists enhance memory performance under specific conditions. The insular cortex has been implicated in object memory consolidation. Here we show that infusions of the CB1 receptor antagonist SR141716 enhances long-term object recognition memory in rats in a dose-dependent manner (facilitation with 1.5, but not 0.75 or 3 μg/μL) when administered into the granular insular cortex; the SR141716 facilitation was seen with a memory delay of 72 h, but not when the delay was shorter (1 h), consistent with enhancement of memory consolidation. Moreover, a sub-group of rats with cannulas placed in the somatosensory area were also facilitated. These results highlight the robust potential of cannabinoid antagonists to facilitate object memory consolidation, as well as the capacity for insular and somatosensory cortices to contribute to object processing, perhaps through enhancement of tactile representation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Collaborative Neuroscience Program University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Lesley D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: O'Brien
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Collaborative Neuroscience Program University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Martin A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Sticht
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Collaborative Neuroscience Program University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Krista A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Mitchnick
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Collaborative Neuroscience Program University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Cheryl L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Limebeer
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Collaborative Neuroscience Program University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Linda A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Collaborative Neuroscience Program University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada. Electronic address: bwinters@uoguelph.ca.
authors.forename: Boyer D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Winters
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D063387:Cannabinoid Receptor Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects*; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D010880:Piperidines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011720:Pyrazoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D043884:Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D021641:Recognition, Psychology / Q000187:drug effects*; D000077285:Rimonabant; D013003:Somatosensory Cortex / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D063387:Cannabinoid Receptor Antagonists; D010880:Piperidines; D011720:Pyrazoles; D043884:Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1; D000077285:Rimonabant
keywords: CB(1) receptor; Endocannabinoid system; Granular insular cortex; Object recognition; SR141716; Somatosensory area