Disruption of hippocampal synaptic transmission and long‐term potentiation by psychoactive synthetic cannabinoid ‘Spice’ compounds: comparison with Δ9‐tetrahydrocannabinol
Addiction Biology January 5, 2016 Alexander F. Hoffman, Matthew D. Lycas, Jakub Kaczmarzyk et al. 39 citations
Synthetic cannabinoids found in 'Spice' products are potent activators of CB1 receptors in the mouse hippocampus, disrupting synaptic transmission and long-term potentiation (LTP). JWH-018 was the most potent inhibitor of hippocampal synaptic transmission (EC50 ~15 nM), followed by AM2201 (EC50 ~60 nM), while XLR-11 (EC50 ~900 nM) and Δ9-THC (EC50 ~700 nM) were much less potent. All effects were reversed by CB1 receptor antagonists, and AM2201 had no effect in mice lacking CB1 receptors. Exposure to any of these cannabinoids significantly impaired LTP, suggesting that synthetic cannabinoids can cause profound cognitive and behavioral deficits.