The surprising effect of cannabis on morphine dependence
July 7, 2009
Study of oral morphine (25 mg/L) self-administration behavior in the maternal deprivation model. Deprived rats progressively increased their preference for the bottle of morphine, whereas deprived rats treated with THC did not develop such escalation behavior. © Valérie Daugé *P<0.05, **P<0.01, ***P<0.001 vs morphine group.
(PhysOrg.com) -- Injections of THC, the active principle of cannabis, eliminate dependence on opiates (morphine, heroin) in rats deprived of their mothers at birth. This has been shown by a study carried out by Valérie Daugé and her team at the Laboratory for Physiopathology of Diseases of the Central Nervous System (France) in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology. The findings could lead to therapeutic alternatives to existing substitution treatments.
In order to study psychiatric disorders, neurobiologists use animal models, especially maternal deprivation models. Depriving rats of their mothers for several hours a day after their birth leads to a lack of care and to early stress. The lack of care, which takes place during a period of intense neuronal development, is liable to cause lasting brain dysfunction. Valérie Daugé's team at the Laboratory for Physiopathology of Diseases of the Central Nervous System (UPMC / CNRS / Inserm) analyzed the effects of maternal deprivation combined with injections of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the main active principle in cannabis, on behavior with regard to opiates.
Previously, Daugé and her colleagues had shown that rats deprived of their mothers at birth become hypersensitive to the rewarding effect of morphine and heroin (substances belonging to the opiate family), and rapidly become dependent. In addition, there is a correlation between such behavioral disturbances linked to dependence, and hypoactivity of the enkephalinergic system, the endogenous opioid system.
To these rats, placed under stress from birth, the researchers intermittently administered increasingly high doses of THC (5 or 10 mg/kg) during the period corresponding to their adolescence (between 35 and 48 days after birth). By measuring their consumption of morphine in adulthood, they observed that, unlike results previously obtained, the rats no longer developed typical morphine-dependent behavior. Moreover, biochemical and molecular biological data corroborate these findings. In the striatum, a region of the brain involved in drug dependence, the production of endogenous enkephalins was restored under THC, whereas it diminished in rats stressed from birth which had not received THC.
Such animal models are validated for understanding the neurobiological and behavioral effects of postnatal conditions in humans. In this context, the findings point to the development of new treatments that could relieve withdrawal effects and suppress drug dependence.
More information: Adolescent Exposure to Chronic Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Blocks Opiate Dependence in Maternally Deprived Rats - Lydie J. Morel, Bruno Giros and Valérie Daugé. Neuropsychopharmacology 24 June 2009, PMID: 19553915.
Provided by CNRS
-
THC exposure as adolescents linked to negative effects of THC as adults
Apr 19, 2009 |
not rated yet |
0
-
Marijuana increases alcohol toxicity in young rats
Apr 08, 2008 |
not rated yet |
0
-
How do cannabinoids make us feel that way?
Oct 09, 2007 |
not rated yet |
0
-
New study reveals brain cell mechanism of alcohol dependence
May 28, 2008 |
not rated yet |
0
-
Scientists find seizure drug reverses cellular effects
May 28, 2008 |
not rated yet |
0
-
Engineers build first sub-10-nm carbon nanotube transistor
Feb 01, 2012 |
4.9 / 5 (30) |
30
-
Something old, something new: Evolution and the structural divergence of duplicate genes
Jan 31, 2012 |
4.6 / 5 (7) |
1
-
The hidden nanoworld of ice crystals: Revealing the dynamic behavior of quasi-liquid layers
Jan 30, 2012 |
5 / 5 (3) |
1
-
Stock market network reveals investor clustering
Jan 27, 2012 |
3.9 / 5 (23) |
8
-
Of microchemistry and molecules: Electronic microfluidic device synthesizes biocompatible probes
Jan 26, 2012 |
5 / 5 (1) |
0
-
Is Everyday Technology Killing Us?
Feb 08, 2012
-
Exercise and weight loss
Feb 08, 2012
-
Why do we have head aches? Our brains can't feel anything.
Feb 07, 2012
-
"The end of diseases" by David Agus, interview from Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Feb 04, 2012
-
Oncolytic adenovirus
Feb 04, 2012
-
Nutrition label stuffs and diets
Feb 02, 2012
- More from Physics Forums - Medical Sciences
More news stories
Curry spice component may help slow prostate tumor growth
Curcumin, an active component of the Indian curry spice turmeric, may help slow down tumor growth in castration-resistant prostate cancer patients on androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), a study from researchers ...
14 minutes ago |
not rated yet |
0
|
Arthritic knees, but not hips, have robust repair response
Researchers at Duke University Medical Center used new tools they developed to analyze knees and hips and discovered that osteoarthritic knee joints are in a constant state of repair, while hip joints are not.
24 minutes ago |
not rated yet |
0
|
To avoid early labor and delivery, weight and diet changes not the answer
One of the strongest known risk factors for spontaneous or unexpected preterm birth any birth that occurs before the 37th week of pregnancy, most often without a known cause is already having had one. For women ...
34 minutes ago |
not rated yet |
0
|
Joint patent for using the BRCA1 gene as a therapy for cardiovascular disease
St. Michael's Hospital and King Saud University have received their first joint U.S. patent to use the BRCA1 gene as a therapy for cardiovascular disease.
50 minutes ago |
not rated yet |
0
Orthopaedic surgery report provides transparency on patient safety, quality initiatives
At NYU Langone Medical Center the focus on quality, patient safety and patient experience are not just broad stroke initiatives but measureable, quantifiable and concrete. Patients and health care professionals can ...
49 minutes ago |
not rated yet |
0
Experts reveal how plants don't get sunburn
(PhysOrg.com) -- Experts at the University of Glasgow have discovered how plants survive the harmful rays of the sun.
Fool's gold may prove an unlikely alternative to overexploited catalytic materials
Catalytic materials, which lower the energy barriers for chemical reactions, are used in everything from the commercial production of chemicals to catalytic converters in car engines. However, with current catalytic materials ...
Unpicking HIV’s invisibility cloak
Drug researchers hunting for alternative ways to treat human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections may soon have a novel targetits camouflage coat. HIV hides inside a cloak unusually rich in a sugar ...
What lies beneath: Mapping hidden nanostructures
The ability to diagnose and predict the properties of materials is vital, particularly in the expanding field of nanotechnology. Electron and atom-probe microscopy can categorize atoms in thin sheets of material, ...
Netflix light on flicks as viewers soak up TV shows
Like most fresh faces that arrive in Hollywood, Netflix wanted to be a movie star. But now it's learning what many in Tinseltown have known for decades: Movies are sexy, but the real money is in television.
Sony's Hirai refuses to abandon dire TV business
Struggling Japanese entertainment giant Sony will not abandon its cash-bleeding television business, its incoming CEO says, but he acknowledges tough decisions lie ahead including over redundancies.
Jul 07, 2009
Rank: 5 / 5 (1)
Jul 07, 2009
Rank: 5 / 5 (2)
Jul 08, 2009
Rank: 2 / 5 (4)
Jul 08, 2009
Rank: 3 / 5 (1)
Jul 09, 2009
Rank: 4 / 5 (1)
Jul 12, 2009
Rank: not rated yet
I wouldn't be surprised if such a study came out. It's like WD-40, fixes squeeks, removes dirt, keeps your sparks dry...seriously, you've gotta love this stuff!
Jul 13, 2009
Rank: not rated yet
BTW, in regard to *ibogaine* -another substance that helps addicts kick the habit- there is an article in New Scientist I can recommend (issue 2392, 26 April 2003: "Quick fix" by Bob Holmes)