Cannabidiol Prevents Motor and Cognitive Impairments Induced by Reserpine in Rats

Abstract

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-psychotomimetic compound from Cannabis sativa that presents antipsychotic, anxiolytic, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective effects. In Parkinson’s disease patients, CBD is able to attenuate the psychotic symptoms induced by L-DOPA and to improve quality of life. Repeated administration of reserpine in rodents induces motor impairments that are accompanied by cognitive deficits, and has been applied to model both tardive dyskinesia and Parkinson’s disease. The present study investigated whether CBD administration would attenuate reserpine-induced motor and cognitive impairments in rats. Male Wistar rats received four injections of CBD (0.5 or 5 mg/kg) or vehicle (days 2–5). On days 3 and 5, animals received also one injection of 1 mg/kg reserpine or vehicle. Locomotor activity, vacuous chewing movements, and catalepsy were assessed from day 1 to day 7. On days 8 and 9, we evaluated animals’ performance on the plus-maze discriminative avoidance task, for learning/memory assessment. CBD (0.5 and 5 mg/kg) attenuated the increase in catalepsy behavior and in oral movements – but not the decrease in locomotion – induced by reserpine. CBD (0.5 mg/kg) also ameliorated the reserpine-induced memory deficit in the discriminative avoidance task. Our data show that CBD is able to attenuate motor and cognitive impairments induced by reserpine, suggesting the use of this compound in the pharmacotherapy of Parkinson’s disease and tardive dyskinesia.

Cannabidiol attenuates seizures and EEG abnormalities in Angelman syndrome model mice

“…CBD shows behavioral benefits in animal models of motor, social, and cognitive impairments (33)(34)(35)(36)(37). However, the behavioral benefits of CBD in animal models often exhibit an inverted Ushaped dose-response curve, with higher doses (> 20 mg/kg) being ineffective and sedative, whereas lower doses can prove effective (38,39).…”

Cannabidiol provides viable treatment opportunity for multiple neurological pathologies of autism spectrum disorder

“…CBD administration was found to rescue reserpine-induced motor and cognitive impairments, normalize MK-801-induced social deficits and hyperactivity, and attenuate THC-induced reduction in social interaction in rats [37][38][39][40]. Acute CBD treatment also protected against hippocampal cell death and improved cognition in mouse models of ischemia and cerebral malaria [41,42].…”

The United Chemicals of Cannabis: Beneficial Effects of Cannabis Phytochemicals on the Brain and Cognition

“…Another clinical study (open-label pilot study, n = 6) of Parkinson's disease patients with psychosis revealed significant improvements to psychiatric scores, but not motor function following CBD (>150 mg/day oral CBD) administration for 4-weeks in combination with existing L-dopa medication [22]. On the other hand, CBD (0.5 or 5 mg/kg CBD administered in four injections) prevented cognition and motor dysfunction when administered prior to reserpine treatment in a rodent model of Parkinson's disease [23].…”