Research reportHippocampal endocannabinoids play an important role in induction of long-term potentiation and regulation of contextual fear memory formation

Recent studies show contradictory results regarding the contribution of endocannabinoids in fear memory formation and long-term synaptic plasticity. In this study, we investigated the effects of both cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1 receptor) antagonist AM281 and anandamide reuptake inhibitor AM404 on the formation of contextual fear memory in adult mice. Both i.p. and intra-hippocampal injections of AM281 promoted contextual fear memory while a high dose of AM404 inhibited it. These findings demonstrate that CB1 receptor-mediated signaling negatively contributes to contextual fear memory formation. We further investigated the induction of long-term potentiation (LTP) in CA1 pyramidal neurons of hippocampal slices and found that AM281 impaired the induction of LTP. Additionally, the blockade of LTP by AM281 was completely prevented by bath application of picrotoxin, a selective antagonist of GABAA receptor. Taken together, these results indicate that activation of CB1 receptor contributes to induction of LTP via a GABAA receptor-mediated mechanism.

► Activation of endocannabinoids system attenuates contextual fear memory. ► Blockade of CB1 receptor activity enhances contextual fear memory. ► Blockade of CB1 receptor activity prevents induction of LTP in CA1 pyramidal neurons of hippocampal slices. ► Activation of CB1 receptor promotes induction of LTP via a GABAA receptor-mediated mechanism.