ESPE Abstracts

As marijuana use during adolescence has been increasing, the need to understand the effects of its long-term use becomes crucial. Previous research suggested that marijuana consumption during adolescence increases the risk of developing mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, depression, and anxiety. Ghrelin is a peptide produced primarily in the gut and is important for feeding behavior. Ghrelin and its receptor, the growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHSR) play important roles in mediating stress, as well as anxiety and, depression-like behaviors in animal models. Here, we investigated the effects of chronic Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) administration during adolescence (P42-55), in GHSR (GHSR-/-) knockout mice and their wild-type littermates in relation to anxiety-like behaviors. We found that continuous THC exposure during peri-adolescence did not lead to any significant alterations in anxiety-like behavior of adult mice, regardless of genotype. However, males and 
females GHSR-/- mice responded differently to THC exposure in limited parameters. These data indicate that in the presence of intact GHSR signaling protects the emergence of limited sex differences in anxiety-related behaviors in adult mice after continuous THC administration during peri-adolescence.