Cannabidiol, a Nonpsychotropic Component of Cannabis, Inhibits Cue-Induced Heroin Seeking and Normalizes Discrete Mesolimbic Neuronal Disturbances
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There remains debate regarding the impact of cannabis on neuropsychiatric disorders. Here, we examined the effects of cannabidiol (CBD), a nonpsychoactive constituent of cannabis, on heroin self-administration and drug-seeking behavior using an experimental rat model. CBD (5–20 mg/kg) did not alter stable intake of heroin self-administration, extinction behavior, or drug seeking induced by a heroin prime injection. Instead, it specifically attenuated heroin-seeking behavior reinstated by exposure to a conditioned stimulus cue. CBD had a protracted effect with significance evident after 24 h and even 2 weeks after administration. The behavioral effects were paralleled by neurobiological alterations in the glutamatergic and endocannabinoid systems. Discrete disturbances of AMPA GluR1 and cannabinoid type-1 receptor expression observed in the nucleus accumbens associated with stimulus cue-induced heroin seeking were normalized by CBD treatment. The findings highlight the unique contributions of distinct cannabis constituents to addiction vulnerability and suggest that CBD may be a potential treatment for heroin craving and relapse.
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CBD possibly reduces drug-seeking behaviors.
“and possibly reduces drug-seeking behaviors (Parker et al, 2004; Ren et al, 2009; Morgan et al, 2010).”
From Cannabidiol Reduces the Anxiety Induced by Simulated Public Speaking in Treatment-Naïve Social Phobia Patients (2011) · cites this paper as Ren et al, 2009
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- Authors
- Ren, Y., Whittard, J., Higuera-Matas, A., Morris, C. V., & Hurd, Y. L.
- Affiliations
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (US)
- Corresponding author
- Hurd, Yasmin L.
- Venue
- The Journal of Neuroscience
- Publisher
- Society for Neuroscience
- Published
- 2009-11-25
- Volume
- 29
- Issue
- 47
- Pages
- 14764-14769
- ISSN
- 0270-6474 (ISSN-L)
- 1529-2401
- PMC
- PMC2829756
- OpenAlex
- W2091054811
- Cited by
- 210
- References
- 1
- Citations by year
- 2026: 8 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 16 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 16 · 2021: 20 · 2020: 23 · 2019: 21 · 2018: 21 · 2017: 18 · 2016: 15 · 2015: 7 · 2013: 7 · 2012: 4
- FWCI
- 3.85
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Journal of Neuroscience (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-sa)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health
- National Institute of Mental Health (T32MH087004)
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (DA 19350, R01DA019350, R21DA027781)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
- Life Sciences › Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics › Toxicology › Forensic Toxicology and Drug Analysis
- Keywords
- cannabidiol, heroin seeking, heroin self-administration, relapse, nucleus accumbens, cannabinoid type 1 receptor, glutamatergic system, endocannabinoid system, addiction vulnerability, drug craving
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Cannabidiol, Conditioning, Psychological, Cues, Heroin, Disease Models, Animal, Heroin Dependence, Limbic System, Male, Narcotic Antagonists, Narcotics, Neural Pathways, Nucleus Accumbens, Treatment Outcome, Ventral Tegmental Area, Receptors, AMPA, Glutamic Acid, Rats, Long-Evans, Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1, Rats, Cannabinoid Receptor Modulators
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