Both activating and blocking cannabinoid receptors during early adolescence reduced sociability in rats
Disrupting endocannabinoid signaling in either direction during early adolescence reduced sociability in rats, though the effect did not persist into adulthood.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Both the CB1/CB2 agonist CP55,940 and the CB1 antagonist AM251, given daily from PND 25-39, reduced sociability in adolescent rats without affecting anxiety. Males showed greater sociability than females, and sociability was higher in adolescence than adulthood. The drug effects did not persist into adulthood (PND 66-70).
Key Numbers
72 rats (36 male, 36 female). Both CP55,940 (0.4 mg/kg) and AM251 (0.5 mg/kg) reduced sociability at PND 40-44. No effect on anxiety. Effects did not persist to PND 66-70.
How They Did This
36 male and 36 female Long Evans rats received daily injections of vehicle, CP55,940 (CB1/CB2 agonist), or AM251 (CB1 antagonist) from postnatal day 25-39. Sociability and anxiety tested at PND 40-44 and PND 66-70 using three-chambered apparatus and elevated plus maze.
Why This Research Matters
The finding that disrupting endocannabinoid signaling in either direction impairs social behavior suggests the system needs to be precisely tuned during adolescent development.
The Bigger Picture
Cannabis use during adolescence could disrupt the finely tuned endocannabinoid system in ways that temporarily impair social functioning, a particularly sensitive domain during this developmental period.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Animal model; synthetic cannabinoid agents used rather than cannabis; the transient nature of effects may not reflect chronic human cannabis exposure; sociability measures may not fully capture human social complexity.
Questions This Raises
- ?Would longer exposure produce lasting effects?
- ?Does the transient nature suggest the endocannabinoid system can recover from adolescent disruption?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Both agonist and antagonist treatment reduced adolescent sociability; effects did not persist to adulthood
- Evidence Grade:
- Single animal study with both sexes; transient effects suggest reversibility.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2020.
- Original Title:
- Disrupting the endocannabinoid system in early adolescence negatively impacts sociability.
- Published In:
- Pharmacology, biochemistry, and behavior, 188, 172832 (2020)
- Database ID:
- RTHC-02482
Evidence Hierarchy
Tests effects in animals (usually mice or rats), not humans.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Why did both activating and blocking the receptors cause the same problem?
The endocannabinoid system requires precise balance. Pushing it in either direction (too much or too little activation) during the critical adolescent period disrupted normal social behavior, suggesting the system serves as a finely tuned regulator of social development.
Did the social effects last?
No. The sociability reduction was present shortly after treatment ended (PND 40-44) but had resolved by adulthood (PND 66-70), suggesting the endocannabinoid system may be able to recover from transient disruption.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-02482APA
Cossio, Daniela; Stadler, Henry; Michas, Zoe; Johnston, Colin; Lopez, Hassan H. (2020). Disrupting the endocannabinoid system in early adolescence negatively impacts sociability.. Pharmacology, biochemistry, and behavior, 188, 172832. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pbb.2019.172832
MLA
Cossio, Daniela, et al. "Disrupting the endocannabinoid system in early adolescence negatively impacts sociability.." Pharmacology, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pbb.2019.172832
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Disrupting the endocannabinoid system in early adolescence n..." RTHC-02482. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/cossio-2020-disrupting-the-endocannabinoid-system
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.