Abstract
The effects of two tetrahydrocannabinols (Δ8-THC and Δ9-THC) were studied by stimulating primary somatosensory cortex in the cerveau isolé squirrel monkey and recording the responses in frontal lobe polysensory areas ipsi- and contralateral to the stimulus, and in the contralateral parietal lobe primary somatosensory area, homotopic to the stimulus. Low doses of both THC's increased the amplitudes of the responses and higher doses generally decreased them. Low doses of pentobarbital also produced increases in amplitude and higher doses decreased or abolished the responses. The THC's only slightly decreased the facilitation seen in control recovery cycles, but even low doses of pentobarbital markedly reduced or abolished it. Pentobarbital had its usual effects on the electrocorticogram, i.e., a dose-dependent flattening with spindling at intermediate doses, but the THC's caused spiking and, at high doses, occasionally a spike and wave pattern. it is suggested that the increased responsiveness of cortical areas produced by the THC's without the concomitant decrease of recovery produced by pentobarbital may be related to the changes in sensory perception produced by the THC's.
Footnotes
- Received August 14, 1970.
- Accepted October 20, 1970.
- © 1971 by The Williams & Wilkins Co.
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