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Effects of acute exposure to cannabinoids on zebrafish behaviour

Faculty Advisor

Date

2018

Keywords

cannabinoids, therapy, animal models

Abstract (summary)

Cannabinoid therapeutic potential is increasingly studied using animal models. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) are a useful model organism because cannabinoids interrupt zebrafish endocannabinoid systems similarly to how human endocannabinoid systems are interrupted (Oltrabella, Melgoza, Nguyen, & Guo, 2017). Zebrafish also demonstrate observable behavioural changes when under stress. Zebrafish behaviour in response to multiple doses of the cannabinoids, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), will be recorded. Finally, dose response curves for the effects of THC and CBD on behaviour during the light/dark preference and novel tank dive tests will be established. Both of these tests are tests of anxiety displayed by individual zebrafish, and both are linked to predator avoidance behaviours. Previous research has suggested that THC and CBD may have anxiolytic effects (Stewart, Kaleuff, 2013; Nazario et al., 2015), implying these cannabinoids may alter zebrafish fish behaviour during the tests, as compared to zebrafish in the control condition.

Publication Information

DOI

Notes

Presented on April 23, 2018 at Student Research Day held at MacEwan University in Edmonton, Alberta.

Item Type

Student Presentation

Language

English

Rights

All Rights Reserved