AUTHOR=Contarini Gabriella , Ferretti Valentina , Papaleo Francesco 

TITLE=Acute Administration of URB597 Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase Inhibitor Prevents Attentional Impairments by Distractors in Adolescent Mice

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Pharmacology

VOLUME=Volume 10 - 2019

YEAR=2019

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology/articles/10.3389/fphar.2019.00787

DOI=10.3389/fphar.2019.00787

ISSN=1663-9812

ABSTRACT=Maturation of attentional control during adolescence might influence later functional outcome or predisposition to psychiatric disorders. During the adolescent period, the cannabinoid system is particularly sensitive to pharmacological challenges, with potential impact on cognitive functions. Here, we used a recently validated 5-choice serial reaction time task protocol (5-CSRTT) to test adolescent C57BL/6J mice. We show that the pharmacological inhibition (by URB597) of the fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), the major enzyme implicated in anandamide degradation, prevented the cognitive disruptions induced by distracting cues in adolescent mice. In particular, these protective effects were indicated by increased accuracy and correct responses and decreased premature responses selectively in the distractor trials. Notably, at the relatively low dose used, we detected no effects in other cognitive, motor or incentive measures, nor long-lasting or re-bound effects of FAAH-inhibition in cognitive functions. Overall, these data provide initial evidence of selective pro-cognitive effects of FAAH inhibition in measures of attentional control in adolescent mice.