Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41569414›Full record

ArticlePsychopharmacology2026

Heroin-induced neuroadaptations of CB1 receptors and their involvement in conditioned place preference.

Ewa Galaj, Charlotte Morris, Anna Fleischer, Coco Xie, Holly Shortell, Joseph Slama, Catherine Litchfield, Sloan Petersohn, Emma Burdick, Kirk Persaud and 4 more

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Psychopharmacology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

Ewa GalajDepartment of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Colgate University, Hamilton, NY, USA. egalaj@colgate.edu.
Charlotte MorrisDepartment of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Colgate University, Hamilton, NY, USA.
Anna FleischerDepartment of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Colgate University, Hamilton, NY, USA.
Coco XieDepartment of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Colgate University, Hamilton, NY, USA.
Holly ShortellDepartment of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Colgate University, Hamilton, NY, USA.
Joseph SlamaDepartment of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Colgate University, Hamilton, NY, USA.
Catherine LitchfieldDepartment of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Colgate University, Hamilton, NY, USA.
Sloan PetersohnDepartment of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Colgate University, Hamilton, NY, USA.
Emma BurdickDepartment of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Colgate University, Hamilton, NY, USA.
Kirk PersaudDepartment of Psychology, Queens College of the City University of New York, Flushing, NY, USA.
Sharnom ChowdhuryDepartment of Psychology, Queens College of the City University of New York, Flushing, NY, USA.
Amadea SulkaDepartment of Psychology, Queens College of the City University of New York, Flushing, NY, USA.
Arthur AminovDepartment of Psychology, Queens College of the City University of New York, Flushing, NY, USA.
Robert RanaldiDepartment of Psychology, Queens College of the City University of New York, Flushing, NY, USA.

Funding

Social Anxiety, Stress and Ethanol Sensitivity in Adolescence and AdulthoodP50AA017823 · NIAAA · UPSTATE MEDICAL UNIVERSITY · PI J. DAVID JENTSCH · 2009 to 2026
$30.5M
The role of the nigrothalamic pathway in opioid-driven behaviorsR15DA057501 · NIDA · COLGATE UNIVERSITY · PI GALAJ, EWA JOANNA · 2023 to 2023
$405k
National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism P50AA017823National Institute of General Medical Science 1SC3GM130430-01NIAAA NIH HHS P50 AA017823NIDA NIH HHS 1R15DA057501-01A1NIDA NIH HHS R15 DA057501
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

rationaleChronic opioid use leads to long-term dysregulation of the systems related to reward, pain and stress. In recent years, much attention has been given to the role of endocannabinoid CB1 receptors in opioid-driven behaviors. However, neuroadaptations of these receptors following opioid exposure is less clear.

objectivesIn this study, we systematically assessed CB1 receptor protein expression within the cortico-mesolimbic-basal ganglia circuit in rats with a history of heroin exposure and assessed the involvement of CB1 receptors in heroin conditioned place preference (CPP).

results(1) During naloxone-precipitated withdrawal, heroin-treated rats showed significantly more withdrawal signs including rapid weight loss, wet dog shakes, abnormal posture, genital grooming and urination than saline control rats. Although heroin-treated rats scored higher on criteria pertaining to vocalization, defecation, jumping and profuse salivation than did saline-treated rats, these trends did not reach statistical significance. (2) Using Western Blotting, we found that there were significant decreases in CB1 receptor protein expression in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), hypothalamus (Hypoth), substantia nigra (SN) and pedunculopontine nucleus (PPT), but no changes in this protein were detected in the prefrontal cortex, insula, dorsal striatum, medial/lateral septi, amygdala, dorsal hippocampus, ventral tegmental area and lateral tegmental nucleus. 3). Intracranial microinjections of AM251 (a CB1 receptor antagonist) into the NAc, SN, Hypoth or PPT caused significant and dose-dependent reductions in heroin CPP.

conclusionsThese data suggest that CB1 receptors undergo region-specific neuroadaptation following chronic heroin exposure and are involved in heroin CPP.

Indexed as

CB1 receptorConditioned place preferenceHeroinNeuroadaptationNucleus accumbensSubstantia nigraWithdrawal

Identifiers

PMID41569414

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.