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Article
Cannabidiol counteracts amphetamine-induced neuronal and behavioral sensitization of the mesolimbic dopamine pathway through a novel mTOR/p70S6 kinase signaling pathway
Journal of Neuroscience
  • Justine Renard, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry
  • Michael Loureiro, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry
  • Laura G. Rosen, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry
  • Jordan Zunder, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry
  • Cleusa De Oliveira, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry
  • Susanne Schmid, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry
  • Walter J. Rushlow, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry
  • Steven R. Laviolette, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
5-4-2016
URL with Digital Object Identifier
10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3387-15.2016
Abstract

Schizophrenia-related psychosis is associated with disturbances in mesolimbic dopamine (DA) transmission, characterized by hyperdopaminergic activity in the mesolimbic pathway. Currently, the only clinically effective treatment for schizophrenia involves the use of antipsychotic medications that blockDAreceptor transmission. However, these medications produce serious side effects leading to poor compliance and treatment outcomes. Emerging evidence points to the involvement of a specific phytochemical component of marijuana called cannabidiol (CBD), which possesses promising therapeutic properties for the treatment of schizophrenia-related psychoses. However, the neuronal and molecular mechanisms through which CBD may exert these effects are entirely unknown. We used amphetamine (AMPH)-induced sensitization and sensorimotor gating in rats, two preclinical procedures relevant to schizophrenia-related psychopathology, combined with in vivo single-unit neuronal electrophysiology recordings in the ventral tegmental area, and molecular analyses to characterize the actions ofCBDdirectly in the nucleus accumbens shell (NASh), a brain region that is the current target of most effective antipsychotics. We demonstrate that Intra-NASh CBD attenuates AMPH-induced sensitization, both in terms of DAergic neuronal activity measured in the ventral tegmental area and psychotomimetic behavioral analyses. We further report that CBD controls downstream phosphorylation of the mTOR/p70S6 kinase signaling pathways directly within the NASh. Our findings demonstrate a novel mechanism for the putative antipsychotic-like properties of CBD in the mesolimbic circuitry. We identify the molecular signaling pathways through which CBD may functionally reduce schizophrenia-like neuropsychopathology.

Citation Information
Justine Renard, Michael Loureiro, Laura G. Rosen, Jordan Zunder, et al.. "Cannabidiol counteracts amphetamine-induced neuronal and behavioral sensitization of the mesolimbic dopamine pathway through a novel mTOR/p70S6 kinase signaling pathway" Journal of Neuroscience Vol. 36 Iss. 18 (2016) p. 5160 - 5169
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/susanne-schmid/12/