TY - JOUR
T1 - Δ9-THC training dose as a determinant for (R)-methanandamide generalization in rats
T2 - A systematic replication
AU - Järbe, T. U.C.
AU - Lamb, R. J.
AU - Lin, S.
AU - Makriyannis, A.
PY - 2000
Y1 - 2000
N2 - Jarbe et al. (1998a) trained rats to discriminate between (-)-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) and vehicle, using different training doses in order to create assays with different efficacy demands, to examine whether (R)-methanandamide, an analog of the endogenous ligand anandamide, had lower efficacy than Δ9-THC. Rats were initially trained with 3 mg/kg Δ9-THC, then tested with (R)-methanandamide and Δ9-THC. Thereafter, the rats were split into two groups and retrained with either 1.8 or 5.6 mg/kg Δ9-THC, followed by additional tests with the two agonists. The current study systematically replicated this study in two groups of rats, trained from the outset to discriminate between vehicle and either 1.8 or 5.6 mg/kg Δ9-THC, respectively. Two-lever operant drug discrimination procedures were used. The outcomes in the two studies were similar. In tests with (R)-methanandamide, full substitution occurred in the low-dose Δ9-THC training group, whereas substitution was partial in the high-dose Δ9-THC training group. (R)-Methanandamide in higher doses exerted marked supression of lever pressing. In tests with Δ9-THC, full substitution occurred in both Δ9-THC-trained groups, and rates of responding were comparable to those observed during regular drug training sessions. In conclusion, both sets of data indicate that cannabinoid agonists either can have varying degrees of efficacy at a receptor site, or may produce their behavioral actions through multiple mechanisms, or both. Prevailing training-dose condition rather than prior training-dose history is the major determinant for the substitution pattern. (C) 2000 Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.
AB - Jarbe et al. (1998a) trained rats to discriminate between (-)-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) and vehicle, using different training doses in order to create assays with different efficacy demands, to examine whether (R)-methanandamide, an analog of the endogenous ligand anandamide, had lower efficacy than Δ9-THC. Rats were initially trained with 3 mg/kg Δ9-THC, then tested with (R)-methanandamide and Δ9-THC. Thereafter, the rats were split into two groups and retrained with either 1.8 or 5.6 mg/kg Δ9-THC, followed by additional tests with the two agonists. The current study systematically replicated this study in two groups of rats, trained from the outset to discriminate between vehicle and either 1.8 or 5.6 mg/kg Δ9-THC, respectively. Two-lever operant drug discrimination procedures were used. The outcomes in the two studies were similar. In tests with (R)-methanandamide, full substitution occurred in the low-dose Δ9-THC training group, whereas substitution was partial in the high-dose Δ9-THC training group. (R)-Methanandamide in higher doses exerted marked supression of lever pressing. In tests with Δ9-THC, full substitution occurred in both Δ9-THC-trained groups, and rates of responding were comparable to those observed during regular drug training sessions. In conclusion, both sets of data indicate that cannabinoid agonists either can have varying degrees of efficacy at a receptor site, or may produce their behavioral actions through multiple mechanisms, or both. Prevailing training-dose condition rather than prior training-dose history is the major determinant for the substitution pattern. (C) 2000 Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.
KW - (R)-methanandamide
KW - Anandamides
KW - Cannabinoids
KW - Drug discrimination
KW - Efficacy
KW - Rats
KW - Δ-THC
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0033625524&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0033625524&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1097/00008877-200002000-00009
DO - 10.1097/00008877-200002000-00009
M3 - Article
C2 - 10821212
AN - SCOPUS:0033625524
SN - 0955-8810
VL - 11
SP - 81
EP - 86
JO - Behavioural pharmacology
JF - Behavioural pharmacology
IS - 1
ER -