Submission Type
Poster
Abstract
Society’s perception of cannabis has evolved significantly, and the laws that once prohibited it have changed as its popularity has grown. Many individuals have come to regard cannabis as a naturopathic treatment for anxiety although research has shown that acute administration of THC has biphasic effects on anxiety in both humans and rats. It is anxiolytic at low doses and anxiogenic at high doses. However, relatively little research has been done on the long-term effects following exposure throughout critical periods of brain development. The current study examined anxiety behaviors in adults that had been administered a daily oral dose of 0, 5, or 10mg/kg THC from postnatal day 22-40. To test this, we used the elevated plus maze (EPM), an X-maze apparatus that produces a conflict between the rat’s natural tendency to explore and forage while avoiding bright, open spaces. Anxious rats spend a greater portion of the test time in the closed, darkened maze arms and perform fewer arm entries. Videos were later scored to determine the duration (sec) in the open and closed arms, number of entries into the open and closed arms, and the ratio of closed arm to open arm entries. Video analysis is ongoing for this work in progress to determine if THC disrupts emotional processing in rats.
Recommended Citation
Hamm, Atoria; Burdick-Biernbaum, Anna; Colley, Karla; Galarza, Eddie; and Spanbauer, Gabe, "282 - Juvenile Exposure to Tetrahydrocannabinol Affects Anxiety in Adult Long-Evans Rats" (2025). GREAT Day Posters. 85.
https://knightscholar.geneseo.edu/great-day-symposium/great-day-2025/posters-2025/85
282 - Juvenile Exposure to Tetrahydrocannabinol Affects Anxiety in Adult Long-Evans Rats
Society’s perception of cannabis has evolved significantly, and the laws that once prohibited it have changed as its popularity has grown. Many individuals have come to regard cannabis as a naturopathic treatment for anxiety although research has shown that acute administration of THC has biphasic effects on anxiety in both humans and rats. It is anxiolytic at low doses and anxiogenic at high doses. However, relatively little research has been done on the long-term effects following exposure throughout critical periods of brain development. The current study examined anxiety behaviors in adults that had been administered a daily oral dose of 0, 5, or 10mg/kg THC from postnatal day 22-40. To test this, we used the elevated plus maze (EPM), an X-maze apparatus that produces a conflict between the rat’s natural tendency to explore and forage while avoiding bright, open spaces. Anxious rats spend a greater portion of the test time in the closed, darkened maze arms and perform fewer arm entries. Videos were later scored to determine the duration (sec) in the open and closed arms, number of entries into the open and closed arms, and the ratio of closed arm to open arm entries. Video analysis is ongoing for this work in progress to determine if THC disrupts emotional processing in rats.
Comments
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