INFLUENCE OF CANNABIDIOL ADMINISTRATION ON MARKERS OF CELL PROLIFERATION AND NEUROGENESIS DURING EXTINCTION PERIOD IN METHAMPHETAMINE DEPENDENCE RATS

Background and Aim : Therapeutic effects of antidepressants and atypical antipsychotics may arise partially from their ability to stimulate neurogenesis. Cannabidiol (CBD), a phytocannabinoid present in Cannabis sativa, presents anxiolytic- and antipsychotic-like effects in preclinical and clinical settings. Anxiolytic-like effects of repeated CBD were shown in chronically Methamphetamine (METH) dependence animals and these effects were parallel with increased hippocampal neurogenesis. Here we investigated the histological consequences of repeated CBD administration in METH dependence animals during extinction period. We also determined the effects of CBD on cell proliferation and neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus (DG) Methods : animals received METH (2 mg/kg, twice/day) for 10 days. Thereafter, the effect of intracerebroventricular (ICV) administration of CBD ( 50 μg/5 μl) during the extinction period (10 days) was evaluated using Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescenceResults : Our results showed repeated CBD administration increased cell proliferation and neurogenesis, as seen by an increased number of Ki-67-,and doublecortin (DCX)-positive cells in both in DG Conclusion : our findings show that CBD has pro-neurogenic effects also in METH consuming animals. Overall, this novel evidence provides new perspectives to use CBD as a therapeutic tool