Δ 9-Tetrahydrocannabinol During Adolescence Reprograms the Nucleus Accumbens Transcriptome, Affecting Reward Processing, Impulsivity, and Specific Aspects of Cocaine Addiction-Like Behavior in a Sex-Dependent Manner

Abstract Background: Cannabis exposure during adolescence is associated with emotional and motivational alterations that may entail an enhanced risk of developing psychiatric disorders. In rodent models, exposure to cannabinoids during adolescence leads to increased self-administration of opiates and cocaine, however, the psychological and neural mechanisms and the sex-specificity of this phenomenon are largely unknown. Methods: We exposed male and female adolescent rats to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and studied at adulthood the effects of such treatment on psychological processes related to reward,