A new study finds that cannabidiol (CBD) may help reduce relapse behaviors in methamphetamine addiction by interacting with dopamine receptors in a key brain region linked to memory and emotion.
Researchers from the Iranian Academy of Medical Sciences and three Iranian universities found that CBD’s impact on methamphetamine-seeking behavior is partly mediated by D2-like dopamine receptors in the CA1 region of the hippocampus. The study was published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research.
Using a conditioned place preference model, the team explored how CBD affected extinction—the process by which drug-seeking behaviors fade—and reinstatement, which models relapse.
For the study, rats were given CBD either during a 10-day extinction period or on the day of reinstatement. Some were also administered Sulpiride, a D2-like receptor antagonist, to block dopamine signaling.
Results showed that higher doses of Sulpiride significantly weakened CBD’s ability to accelerate extinction and prevent reinstatement of drug-seeking behavior. Specifically, Sulpiride at 1 and 4 μg disrupted CBD’s effect on both reducing methamphetamine preference during extinction and preventing its return after a relapse trigger.
The findings point to D2-like dopamine receptors in the hippocampus as a critical component of CBD’s anti-addiction effects and may guide future treatments for methamphetamine use disorder—an area where approved medications remain lacking.
For the full study, click here.
