Chronic adolescent exposure to Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol in COMT mutant mice: impact on psychosis-related and other phenotypes.

ABSTRACT: Cannabis use confers a two-fold increase in the risk for psychosis, with adolescent use conferring even greater risk. A high-low activity catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) polymorphism may modulate the effects of adolescent Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) exposure on the risk for adult psychosis. Mice with knockout of the COMT gene were treated chronically with THC (4.0 and 8.0 mg/kg over 20 days) during either adolescence (postnatal days (PDs) 32-52) or adulthood (PDs 70-90). The effects of THC exposure were then assessed in adulthood across behavioral phenotypes relevant for psychosis: exploratory activity, spatial working memory (spontaneous and delayed alternation), object recognition memory, social interaction (sociability and social novelty preference), and anxiety (elevated plus ma

SUBMITTER: O'Tuathaigh CM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3055315 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature