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Updated: Jul 12, 2026

Administration of Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in Adolescent and Adult Mice
Published on: August 1, 2025
The effect of delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol on the extinction of an adverse associative memory
John C Ashton1, Paul F Smith, Cynthia L Darlington
1Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Otago Medical School, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. john.ashton@stonebow.otago.ac.nz
Abstract:
The cannabinoid Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta(9)-THC) is currently being employed or tested for a number of therapeutic uses. Cannabinoid CB1 receptors are critically involved in adverse memory extinction. It is not known whether an unintended effect of Delta(9)-THC is increased extinction rates of adverse memories. We therefore tested the effect of Delta(9)-THC on adverse memory extinction using an auditory-stimulus/foot shock paradigm. We found that repeated administration of a high dose of Delta(9)-THC over 6 days retarded extinction compared with controls. This is in contrast to other reports and might be a result of endocannabinoid signalling dysfunction due to cannabinoid receptor densensitization.
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