Effects of the cannabinoid CB1 receptor antagonist rimonabant on consolidation, reconsolidation, and forced extinction of cocaine-associated memory

• Main Authors: Ya-WeiLiu, 劉亞薇
• Other Authors: Sherry Shu-Jung Hu
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2014
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/11054533391819699636

碩士 === 國立成功大學 === 心理學系認知科學碩士班 === 102 === Relapse to cocaine has been an unsolved problem for decades. The endocannabinoid system modulates addiction of several abused drugs including cocaine. The cannabinoid CB1 receptors have previously been implicated in the reinstatement but not the primary rewarding effect of cocaine. The purpose of this study was to exam whether rimonabant, a cannabinoid CB1 receptor antagonist, affected consolidation, reconsolidation and forced extinction of cocaine-associated memory by using a conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm. Our results revealed that the CB1 receptors bidirectionally modulate cocaine-associated memory. That is, inactivation of CB1 receptors, either peripherally or within the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), facilitates memory consolidation of cocaine-induced CPP at low doses, whereas disrupts that at high ones. Rimonabant was also found to impair reconsolidation but dose-dependently facilitate forced extinction of cocaine-associated memory. Taken together, pharmacological targeting CB1 receptors may be a therapeutic strategy to prevent from relapse to cocaine in cocaine heavy users.