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Caffeine and cannabinoid receptors modulate impulsive behavior in an animal model of attentional deficit and hyperactivity disorder
Author(s) -
Leffa Douglas T.,
Ferreira Samira G.,
Machado Nuno J.,
Souza Carolina M.,
Rosa Fernanda da,
Carvalho Cristiane,
Kincheski Grasielle C.,
Takahashi Reinaldo N.,
Porciúncula Lisiane O.,
Souza Diogo O.,
Cunha Rodrigo A.,
Pandolfo Pablo
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
european journal of neuroscience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.346
H-Index - 206
eISSN - 1460-9568
pISSN - 0953-816X
DOI - 10.1111/ejn.14348
Subject(s) - caffeine , endocannabinoid system , impulsivity , cannabinoid , cannabinoid receptor , psychology , agonist , neuroscience , adenosine receptor antagonist , antagonist , adenosine a1 receptor , adenosine , adenosine receptor , pharmacology , receptor , medicine , developmental psychology , psychiatry
Attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) is characterized by impaired levels of hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention. Adenosine and endocannabinoid systems tightly interact in the modulation of dopamine signaling, involved in the neurobiology of ADHD . In this study, we evaluated the modulating effects of the cannabinoid and adenosine systems in a tolerance to delay of reward task using the most widely used animal model of ADHD . Spontaneous Hypertensive Rats ( SHR ) and Wistar–Kyoto rats were treated chronically or acutely with caffeine, a non‐selective adenosine receptor antagonist, or acutely with a cannabinoid agonist ( WIN 55212‐2, WIN ) or antagonist ( AM 251). Subsequently, animals were tested in the tolerance to delay of reward task, in which they had to choose between a small, but immediate, or a large, but delayed, reward. Treatment with WIN decreased, whereas treatment with AM 251 increased the choices of the large reward, selectively in SHR rats, indicating a CB 1 receptor‐mediated increase in impulsive behavior. An acute pre‐treatment with caffeine blocked WIN effects. Conversely, a chronic treatment with caffeine increased the impulsive phenotype and potentiated the WIN effects. The results indicate that both cannabinoid and adenosine receptors modulate impulsive behavior in SHR : the antagonism of cannabinoid receptors might be effective in reducing impulsive symptoms present in ADHD ; in addition, caffeine showed the opposite effects on impulsive behavior depending on the length of treatment. These observations are of particular importance to consider when therapeutic manipulation of CB 1 receptors is applied to ADHD patients who consume coffee.