Submission Type
Poster
Abstract
With the recent legalization of cannabis across various states, it is becoming more accessible for both medicinal and recreational usage. However, within the medical community, there has been a rise in the possible adverse health concerns of the recent emergence of its recreational use. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), is one of the 113 cannabinoid compounds that are more commonly used for its medicinal purposes to treat certain medical conditions, alleviating symptoms of nausea, lack of appetite, and bodily pain. Yet, THC is still largely used recreationally, and one of the primary users are adolescents. The long-term effects of THC exposure are still largely unknown, but with what is currently being discovered, we can acknowledge the potential negative effects that this drug can have on our youth’s development. The present study uses Long Evans rats to show how THC exposure has affected memory in the long term. The sample of rats was divided into groups that had varying levels of THC exposure along with a control group. They were given an object recognition task over the course of 3 consecutive days to see how well they performed in recognizing familiar and unfamiliar objects.
Recommended Citation
Herman, Hermei; Santabarbara, Marianna; Gusefski, Sarah; and Wilson, Charlie, "187 - Exposure to THC Throughout Adolescence Produces Long-Term Deficits in an Object Recognition Task in Rats" (2025). GREAT Day Posters. 50.
https://knightscholar.geneseo.edu/great-day-symposium/great-day-2025/posters-2025/50
187 - Exposure to THC Throughout Adolescence Produces Long-Term Deficits in an Object Recognition Task in Rats
With the recent legalization of cannabis across various states, it is becoming more accessible for both medicinal and recreational usage. However, within the medical community, there has been a rise in the possible adverse health concerns of the recent emergence of its recreational use. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), is one of the 113 cannabinoid compounds that are more commonly used for its medicinal purposes to treat certain medical conditions, alleviating symptoms of nausea, lack of appetite, and bodily pain. Yet, THC is still largely used recreationally, and one of the primary users are adolescents. The long-term effects of THC exposure are still largely unknown, but with what is currently being discovered, we can acknowledge the potential negative effects that this drug can have on our youth’s development. The present study uses Long Evans rats to show how THC exposure has affected memory in the long term. The sample of rats was divided into groups that had varying levels of THC exposure along with a control group. They were given an object recognition task over the course of 3 consecutive days to see how well they performed in recognizing familiar and unfamiliar objects.
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