Cannabidiol Modulates Emotional Function and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Expression in Middle-Aged Female Rats Exposed to Social Isolation
Aging is associated with changes in cognitive and emotional function. Cannabidiol (CBD) has been reported to attenuate stress and anxiety in human and animal studies. In this study, we aimed to assess the therapeutic potential of CBD among middle-aged female rats exposed to social isolation (SI) and...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-10-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/20/15492 |
| _version_ | 1797573561885392896 |
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| author | Nadya Saad Danielle Raviv Tomer Mizrachi Zer-Aviv Irit Akirav |
| author_facet | Nadya Saad Danielle Raviv Tomer Mizrachi Zer-Aviv Irit Akirav |
| author_sort | Nadya Saad |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Aging is associated with changes in cognitive and emotional function. Cannabidiol (CBD) has been reported to attenuate stress and anxiety in human and animal studies. In this study, we aimed to assess the therapeutic potential of CBD among middle-aged female rats exposed to social isolation (SI) and the potential involvement of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in these effects. Thirteen-month-old female rats were group-housed (GH) or exposed to social isolation (SI) and treated with vehicle or CBD (10 mg/kg). CBD restored the SI-induced immobility in the forced swim test and the SI-induced decrease in the expression of BDNF protein levels in the nucleus accumbens (NAc). CBD also increased the time that rats spent in the center in an open field, improved spatial training, and increased BDNF expression in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and basolateral amygdala (BLA). BDNF expression was found to be correlated with an antidepressant (in the NAc) and an anxiolytic (in the mPFC, BLA, NAc) phenotype, and with learning improvement in the PFC. Together, our results suggest that CBD may serve as a beneficial agent for wellbeing in old age and may help with age-related cognitive decline. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T21:10:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6e9680bd3ed74bb09bf32e661a739542 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1661-6596 1422-0067 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T21:10:50Z |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-6e9680bd3ed74bb09bf32e661a7395422023-11-19T16:47:31ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences1661-65961422-00672023-10-0124201549210.3390/ijms242015492Cannabidiol Modulates Emotional Function and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Expression in Middle-Aged Female Rats Exposed to Social IsolationNadya Saad0Danielle Raviv1Tomer Mizrachi Zer-Aviv2Irit Akirav3Department of Psychology, School of Psychological Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, IsraelDepartment of Psychology, School of Psychological Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, IsraelDepartment of Psychology, School of Psychological Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, IsraelDepartment of Psychology, School of Psychological Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, IsraelAging is associated with changes in cognitive and emotional function. Cannabidiol (CBD) has been reported to attenuate stress and anxiety in human and animal studies. In this study, we aimed to assess the therapeutic potential of CBD among middle-aged female rats exposed to social isolation (SI) and the potential involvement of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in these effects. Thirteen-month-old female rats were group-housed (GH) or exposed to social isolation (SI) and treated with vehicle or CBD (10 mg/kg). CBD restored the SI-induced immobility in the forced swim test and the SI-induced decrease in the expression of BDNF protein levels in the nucleus accumbens (NAc). CBD also increased the time that rats spent in the center in an open field, improved spatial training, and increased BDNF expression in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and basolateral amygdala (BLA). BDNF expression was found to be correlated with an antidepressant (in the NAc) and an anxiolytic (in the mPFC, BLA, NAc) phenotype, and with learning improvement in the PFC. Together, our results suggest that CBD may serve as a beneficial agent for wellbeing in old age and may help with age-related cognitive decline.https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/20/15492middle-ageddepressionsocial isolationBDNFcannabidiolfemales |
| spellingShingle | Nadya Saad Danielle Raviv Tomer Mizrachi Zer-Aviv Irit Akirav Cannabidiol Modulates Emotional Function and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Expression in Middle-Aged Female Rats Exposed to Social Isolation International Journal of Molecular Sciences middle-aged depression social isolation BDNF cannabidiol females |
| title | Cannabidiol Modulates Emotional Function and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Expression in Middle-Aged Female Rats Exposed to Social Isolation |
| title_full | Cannabidiol Modulates Emotional Function and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Expression in Middle-Aged Female Rats Exposed to Social Isolation |
| title_fullStr | Cannabidiol Modulates Emotional Function and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Expression in Middle-Aged Female Rats Exposed to Social Isolation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cannabidiol Modulates Emotional Function and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Expression in Middle-Aged Female Rats Exposed to Social Isolation |
| title_short | Cannabidiol Modulates Emotional Function and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Expression in Middle-Aged Female Rats Exposed to Social Isolation |
| title_sort | cannabidiol modulates emotional function and brain derived neurotrophic factor expression in middle aged female rats exposed to social isolation |
| topic | middle-aged depression social isolation BDNF cannabidiol females |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/20/15492 |
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