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Fatemeh Rahimi Shourmasti1 
, Raheleh Rafaiee2 , Seyedeh Masoumeh Seyedhosseini Tamijani2 , Mehdi Khodamoradi3 , Mohammad Shabani4 , Hamed Ghazvini * 2
, Raheleh Rafaiee2 , Seyedeh Masoumeh Seyedhosseini Tamijani2 , Mehdi Khodamoradi3 , Mohammad Shabani4 , Hamed Ghazvini * 2
1- Student Research Committee, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
2- Department of Neuroscience, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
3- Substance Abuse Prevention Research Center, Health Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran.
4- Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
2- Department of Neuroscience, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
3- Substance Abuse Prevention Research Center, Health Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran.
4- Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
Abstract:
Objectives: Cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1) is extensively distributed across brain regions that are crucial for emotional processing, social cognition, and anxiety, including the prefrontal cortex, amygdala, and hippocampus. Dysregulation of CB1 receptors (CB1Rs) has been associated with several disorders characterized by impaired empathy, social behavior, and anxiety. This study aimed to investigate the modulatory role of CB1Rs in social interaction and anxiety in an empathic pain model in rats.
Methods: Forty-eight adults male Wistar rats were used (n = 8 for each group). One sibling received formalin injection into the hind paw five times within a nine-day period (Demonstrator), and the other siblings reported pain (Observer) while being treated with DMSO, the cannabinoid type 1 receptor (CB1R) agonist WIN 55,212–2 (WIN; 3 mg/kg, i.p.), or the CB1R antagonist rimonabant (1 mg/kg, i.p.). Treatments were administered intraperitoneally 30 minutes prior to behavioral tests conducted on day 10, which were used to assess social behavior and anxiety.
Results: The findings indicate that empathic pain can impair social behavior and elicit anxiety-like effects. Rimonabant was effective in ameliorating deficits induced by empathic pain; conversely, WIN did not have a significant effect.
Conclusion: These results suggest that CB1Rs play a modulatory role in social contagion. This modulation may provide new therapeutic targets for conditions such as autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia, and other psychological disorders characterized by impaired empathy and dysregulated social behavior associated with the CB1 signaling pathway.
Methods: Forty-eight adults male Wistar rats were used (n = 8 for each group). One sibling received formalin injection into the hind paw five times within a nine-day period (Demonstrator), and the other siblings reported pain (Observer) while being treated with DMSO, the cannabinoid type 1 receptor (CB1R) agonist WIN 55,212–2 (WIN; 3 mg/kg, i.p.), or the CB1R antagonist rimonabant (1 mg/kg, i.p.). Treatments were administered intraperitoneally 30 minutes prior to behavioral tests conducted on day 10, which were used to assess social behavior and anxiety.
Results: The findings indicate that empathic pain can impair social behavior and elicit anxiety-like effects. Rimonabant was effective in ameliorating deficits induced by empathic pain; conversely, WIN did not have a significant effect.
Conclusion: These results suggest that CB1Rs play a modulatory role in social contagion. This modulation may provide new therapeutic targets for conditions such as autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia, and other psychological disorders characterized by impaired empathy and dysregulated social behavior associated with the CB1 signaling pathway.
Keywords: Cannabinoid system, Anxiety, Empathic pain, Social behavior, Rimonabant, WIN 55, 212–2
Type of Study: Original |
Subject:
Behavioral Neuroscience
Received: 2024/11/12 | Accepted: 2024/12/17
Received: 2024/11/12 | Accepted: 2024/12/17
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