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Related Experiment Videos

Two brain sites for cannabinoid reward.

Abraham Zangen1, Marcello Solinas, Satoshi Ikemoto

  • 1National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, USA.

The Journal of Neuroscience : the Official Journal of the Society for Neuroscience
|May 5, 2006
PubMed
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Delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta9THC), marijuana's active compound, activates brain reward pathways. Specific areas, the posterior ventral tegmental area (VTA) and nucleus accumbens shell (NAS), are key trigger zones for its rewarding effects.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Pharmacology
  • Addiction Research

Background:

  • Delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta9THC), the primary psychoactive component of cannabis, is known to interact with the brain's reward system.
  • Previous research suggests Delta9THC's self-administration, potentiation of brain stimulation reward, and conditioned place preferences indicate activation of primitive reward mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify specific brain regions responsible for the stimulant and rewarding effects of Delta9THC.
  • To elucidate the neurochemical pathways underlying Delta9THC's action on reward circuits.

Main Methods:

  • Microinjections of Delta9THC into specific brain areas, including the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and nucleus accumbens (NAS) in rats.
  • Behavioral assays measuring locomotion, lever-pressing for drug reward, and conditioned place preference.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Administration of cannabinoid CB1 receptor antagonists to assess the role of these receptors.

    • Main Results:

    • Microinjections of Delta9THC into the posterior VTA and the shell of the NAS increased locomotion and supported lever-pressing behavior.
    • Rats developed conditioned place preferences following microinjections into the posterior VTA and posterior NAS shell.
    • Cannabinoid CB1 receptor antagonism blocked the behavioral effects of Delta9THC.
    • Injections into other brain regions, such as the core of the NAS or anterior VTA, were ineffective.

    Conclusions:

    • The posterior VTA and the shell of the NAS are critical neuroanatomical sites mediating the rewarding and stimulant effects of Delta9THC.
    • These findings align the rewarding actions of Delta9THC with those of other major drugs of abuse, suggesting a common underlying neural circuitry.
    • The results highlight the involvement of cannabinoid CB1 receptors in these specific reward pathways.