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A behavioral assessment of the aversive properties of delta‐9‐ THC in Fischer‐Lewis rats.
Author(s) -
Presley Alison,
Riley Anthony
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.27.1_supplement.1097.8
Subject(s) - taste aversion , hypothermia , taste , medicine , drugs of abuse , drug , physiology , psychology , anesthesia , pharmacology , endocrinology , neuroscience
Although Lewis (LEW) and Fischer (F344) rats differ in their sensitivity to the rewarding effects of THC, no data have been reported on differences in their sensitivity to the drug's aversive effects, a limiting factor in drug use and abuse. Examining the degree of differences (if any) in such effects in these strains may help further characterize the factors important to abuse vulnerability. Accordingly, the aversive effects of THC were examined in 32 F344 and 32 LEW subjects using the conditioned taste aversion procedure. Core body temperatures were also examined 2 weeks following the final conditioning cycle. Subjects in both strains displayed dose‐dependent THC‐induced taste aversions, with no significant strain difference. Core body temperatures of F344 subjects were significantly higher than LEW rats, although these differences were independent of THC (which itself induced hypothermia in both strains). These results suggest that the reported differences between the strains in THC self‐administration reflect differences in the drug's rewarding (and not aversive) effects and that such aversions are not due to druginduced hypothermia. This research was funded by a grant from the Mellon Foundation.