Cannabidiol treatment in behaviours related to ethanol addiction: in vitro and in vivo studies

• Grant number: 16/18701-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: July 01, 2017
• End date: November 04, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Pharmacology - Neuropsychopharmacology
• Principal Investigator: Fabio Cardoso Cruz
• Grantee: Sheila Antonagi Engi
• Associated research grant: 13/24986-2 - The role of neuronal ensembles in context-induced reinstatement of ethanol seeking: pharmacogenetic, optogenetic and molecular investigation, AP.JP 18/15505-4 - Neurobiology study of relapse to alcohol and cocaine seeking: identification of plasticity in neuronal ensembles that encodes addiction-related memories, AP.JP2
• Associated scholarship(s): 19/23286-3 - Effects of adolescent cannabinoid exposure on the development of mesocorticolimbic dopamine circuitry, BE.EP.PD

Abstract

Drug abuse reached considerable proportions in the last years. Studies have shown that cannabidiol has anxiolytic, anti-psychotic, antidepressant and neuroprotective properties, but less is known about the real mechanism of action of this compound. There are evidences that the treatment with cannabidiol can reduce consumption of other drugs of abuse, such as cocaine and amphetamine. Despite the evidences and the relevance of this study, an extensive literature search did not reveal studies that investigated the effects of the treatment with cannabidiol in behaviors related to ethanol addiction - such as acquisition and relapse of operant self-administration behaviors. In this way, the aim of this project is to investigate whether the treatment with cannabidiol: 1) acts in the mesocorticolimbic system via TRPV1 and/or CB1 receptors, using in vitro techniques; 2) decreases ethanol consumption in the animal model of intermittent access to ethanol; 3) prevents the ethanol relapse using the operant self-administration animal model after exposure to the chamber of ethanol vapor; 4) changes intracellular pathways related to ethanol addiction behaviors. (AU)