Environmental stress as a factor in the response of rat brain catecholamine metabolism to Δ8-tetrahydrocannabinol

Keith I. MacLean; John M. Littleton

doi:10.1016/0014-2999(77)90206-0

Environmental stress as a factor in the response of rat brain catecholamine metabolism to Δ⁸-tetrahydrocannabinol

Keith I. MacLean, John M. Littleton

Psychology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

29 Scopus citations

Abstract

In rats housed normally (aggregated, food and water ad lib) for fourteen days Δ⁸-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) produced mild sedation and minimal hypothermia. An increase in noradrenaline synthesis was observed, but brain dopamine metabolism was unchanged. In rats removed from this 'normal' environment to conditions of isolation and food deprivation for 24 h THC produced immobility, marked hyper-reactivity, and hypothermia. Brain noradrenaline metabolism was unchanged by THC under these conditions, but significant changes in striatal dopamine metabolism were observed. These changes are consistent with increased dopamine reuptake in striatum produced by this combination of THC and novel environment. It is suggested that some of the behavioural effects of cannabis administered under stressful conditions may be related to alterations in striatal dopamine metabolism.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	171-182
Number of pages	12
Journal	European Journal of Pharmacology
Volume	41
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/0014-2999(77)90206-0
State	Published - Jan 21 1977

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
We wish to thank BeechamR esearchL aboratories for gifts of AS-THC and radiochemicalIsn. particular, thanks are due to Dr. M.S.G. Clark and Dr. M.G. Palfreymanfo r help and advice.T his study was supported in part by a CAPS award to K.I.M. from the SRC and BeechamR esearchL aboratories.

Keywords

Cannabis
Central catecholamine metabolism
Dopamine uptake
Environment
Striatum
Δ-Tetrahydrocannabinol

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Pharmacology

Access to Document

10.1016/0014-2999(77)90206-0

Cite this

@article{2a3b190fa61f4358a38514ed76161e36,

title = "Environmental stress as a factor in the response of rat brain catecholamine metabolism to Δ8-tetrahydrocannabinol",

abstract = "In rats housed normally (aggregated, food and water ad lib) for fourteen days Δ8-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) produced mild sedation and minimal hypothermia. An increase in noradrenaline synthesis was observed, but brain dopamine metabolism was unchanged. In rats removed from this 'normal' environment to conditions of isolation and food deprivation for 24 h THC produced immobility, marked hyper-reactivity, and hypothermia. Brain noradrenaline metabolism was unchanged by THC under these conditions, but significant changes in striatal dopamine metabolism were observed. These changes are consistent with increased dopamine reuptake in striatum produced by this combination of THC and novel environment. It is suggested that some of the behavioural effects of cannabis administered under stressful conditions may be related to alterations in striatal dopamine metabolism.",

keywords = "Cannabis, Central catecholamine metabolism, Dopamine uptake, Environment, Striatum, Δ-Tetrahydrocannabinol",

author = "MacLean, {Keith I.} and Littleton, {John M.}",

note = "Funding Information: We wish to thank BeechamR esearchL aboratories for gifts of AS-THC and radiochemicalIsn. particular, thanks are due to Dr. M.S.G. Clark and Dr. M.G. Palfreymanfo r help and advice.T his study was supported in part by a CAPS award to K.I.M. from the SRC and BeechamR esearchL aboratories.",

year = "1977",

month = jan,

day = "21",

doi = "10.1016/0014-2999(77)90206-0",

language = "English",

volume = "41",

pages = "171--182",

number = "2",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Environmental stress as a factor in the response of rat brain catecholamine metabolism to Δ8-tetrahydrocannabinol

AU - MacLean, Keith I.

AU - Littleton, John M.

N1 - Funding Information: We wish to thank BeechamR esearchL aboratories for gifts of AS-THC and radiochemicalIsn. particular, thanks are due to Dr. M.S.G. Clark and Dr. M.G. Palfreymanfo r help and advice.T his study was supported in part by a CAPS award to K.I.M. from the SRC and BeechamR esearchL aboratories.

PY - 1977/1/21

Y1 - 1977/1/21

N2 - In rats housed normally (aggregated, food and water ad lib) for fourteen days Δ8-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) produced mild sedation and minimal hypothermia. An increase in noradrenaline synthesis was observed, but brain dopamine metabolism was unchanged. In rats removed from this 'normal' environment to conditions of isolation and food deprivation for 24 h THC produced immobility, marked hyper-reactivity, and hypothermia. Brain noradrenaline metabolism was unchanged by THC under these conditions, but significant changes in striatal dopamine metabolism were observed. These changes are consistent with increased dopamine reuptake in striatum produced by this combination of THC and novel environment. It is suggested that some of the behavioural effects of cannabis administered under stressful conditions may be related to alterations in striatal dopamine metabolism.

AB - In rats housed normally (aggregated, food and water ad lib) for fourteen days Δ8-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) produced mild sedation and minimal hypothermia. An increase in noradrenaline synthesis was observed, but brain dopamine metabolism was unchanged. In rats removed from this 'normal' environment to conditions of isolation and food deprivation for 24 h THC produced immobility, marked hyper-reactivity, and hypothermia. Brain noradrenaline metabolism was unchanged by THC under these conditions, but significant changes in striatal dopamine metabolism were observed. These changes are consistent with increased dopamine reuptake in striatum produced by this combination of THC and novel environment. It is suggested that some of the behavioural effects of cannabis administered under stressful conditions may be related to alterations in striatal dopamine metabolism.

KW - Cannabis

KW - Central catecholamine metabolism

KW - Dopamine uptake

KW - Environment

KW - Striatum

KW - Δ-Tetrahydrocannabinol

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0017341071&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0017341071&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/0014-2999(77)90206-0

DO - 10.1016/0014-2999(77)90206-0

M3 - Article

C2 - 832673

AN - SCOPUS:0017341071

SN - 0014-2999

VL - 41

SP - 171

EP - 182

JO - European Journal of Pharmacology

JF - European Journal of Pharmacology

IS - 2

ER -