Mechanisms of cannabidiol antipsychotics effects in schizophrenia model based in neurodevelopment variation

• Grant number: 19/24591-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: June 01, 2020
• End date: September 18, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Francisco Silveira Guimaraes
• Grantee: Debora dos Santos Fabris
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto (FMRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 17/24304-0 - New perspectives in the use of drugs that modify atypical neurotransmitters in the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders, AP.TEM
• Associated scholarship(s): 22/15718-3 - Effects of cannabidiol on basolateral amygdala hyperactivity and abnormal corticoamygdalar connectivity electrophysiological changes in the gestational methylazoxymethanol acetate model for schizophrenia, BE.EP.DR

Abstract

Neurodevelopment variations have been associated to pathopsysiology of schizophrenia. Variations in the period of brain maturation, specially during the first childhood, further the schizophrenia appearance on the beginning of adulthood. The interference in these variations can be a new and important strategy to prevent this disease. Pre-clinic and clinic studies suggest a cannabinoid compound not psychotomimetic, the cannabidiol (CBD), has potencial terapic use on schizophrenia. Among the animal models which investigate variations associated to schizophrenia neurodevelopment, the one with induced variations by methylazoxymethanol acetate (MAM) can be detached. The general objective of this project is investigating if CBD could prevent and reverse the behavioral, electrophysiological and molecular variations observed in MAM model, as elucidate the neural substrates involved in CBD antipsychotics characteristics. Sprague-Dawley rats will be used treated with MAM or saline in the seventeenth gestational day. Behavioral variations will be analyzed in offspring when they became adults (> the sixty-second postnatal day) on pré pulse-inhibition, object recognition and hyperlocomotion tests induced by amphetamine. Besides, in vivo and molecular electrophysiological analysis will be realized to identify possible mechaminis of CBD effects. (AU)