Year of Award
2009
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Type
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Degree Name
Clinical Psychology
Department or School/College
Department of Psychology
Committee Chair
David Schuldberg
Committee Co-chair
Michael P. Kavanaugh
Commitee Members
Allen Szalda-Petree, Stuart Hall, Daniel Denis
Keywords
age, anxiety, CB1 receptor, endocannabinoid, learning, memory
Abstract
Several lines of evidence support a role of the endocannabinoid (eCB) system in cognition and anxiety. This study explores cognitive processes and anxiety-like behaviors in wild type (CB1+/+) and CB1-receptor-deficient (CB1-/-) mice of differing ages. Differences were observed between CB1+/+ and CB1-/- mice in a Morris Water Maze acquisition task. Furthermore, CB1-/- mice did not display deficits in extinction during reversal learning. In the Light-Dark Box and Suok tasks, the CB1-/- mice demonstrated greater anxiety-like behaviors relative the CB1+/+ mice. No differences were observed in the Open-Field task, suggesting that the observed behavioral differences may be related to anxiety rather than cognitive impairments. This study has important implications for neuropsychiatric disorders, including depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Recommended Citation
Bolyard, Loretta Lynn, "The role of the CB1 receptor in learning, memory and anxiety-like behaviors" (2009). Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers. 1074.
https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/1074
© Copyright 2009 Loretta Lynn Bolyard