PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Andrew F Scheyer
AU  - Milene Borsoi
AU  - Anne-Laure Pelissier-Alicot
AU  - Olivier JJ Manzoni
TI  - Maternal exposure to the cannabinoid agonist WIN 55,12,2 during lactation induces lasting behavioral and synaptic alterations in the rat adult offspring of both sexes
AID  - 10.1523/ENEURO.0144-20.2020
DP  - 2020 Aug 31
TA  - eneuro
PG  - ENEURO.0144-20.2020
4099  - http://www.eneuro.org/content/early/2020/08/28/ENEURO.0144-20.2020.short
4100  - http://www.eneuro.org/content/early/2020/08/28/ENEURO.0144-20.2020.full
AB  - Consumption of cannabis during pregnancy and the lactation period is a rising public health concern (Scheyer et al. 2019b). Exposure to synthetic or plant-derived cannabinoids via lactation disrupts the development of GABAergic neurons in the prefrontal cortex and alters early-life behaviors (Scheyer et al. 2020b). Recently, additional data revealed that Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) perinatal exposure via lactation causes lasting behavioral and neuronal consequences (Scheyer et al. 2020a).Here, the long-term effects in adult offspring of maternal exposure to the synthetic cannabinoid agonist WIN 55,12,2 (WIN) are reported. The data demonstrate that rats exposed during lactation to WIN display social and motivational deficits at adulthood. These behavioral changes were paralleled by a specific loss of endocannabinoid-mediated long-term depression in the prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens, while other forms of synaptic plasticity remained intact. Thus, similarly to THC, perinatal WIN exposure via lactation induces behavioral and synaptic abnormalities lasting into adulthood.Significance Statement Consumption of cannabis during pregnancy and the lactation period is a rising public health concern. Exposure to synthetic or plant-derived cannabinoids via lactation disrupts perinatal programming in the prefrontal cortex and early-life behaviors. Here, we explored the long-term effects of maternal exposure to the synthetic cannabinoid agonist WIN 55,12,2 in the adult offspring. The results indicate that rats exposed during lactation to WIN display social and motivational deficits at adulthood. These behavioral changes were paralleled by a specific loss of endocannabinoid-mediated long-term depression in the prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens, while other forms of synaptic plasticity remained intact.