Preclinical murine models and psychosis based on double hit hypothesis: MIA and Cannabis (THC)

Exposure to prenatal infection during the first or second trimester of pregnancy can alter one’s neurodevelopment, increasing the risk of disorders such as schizophrenia. On the other hand, the consumption of psychotropic substances such as cannabis during adolescence or early adulthood could favor the onset of these disorders. In this project we work with a murine model of maternal immune activation disease (MIA), Poly (I:C) (synthetic analog of double-stranded RNA) and treated adolescents with psychotropic tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). This hypothesis postulates the impact that the dual effect (MIA and THC) would have on the prenatal and adolescent development of the individual and possible behavioral, neurochemical and structural defects. The objectives of this project are:

1. Phenotypic characterization by behavioral evaluation of the Poly (I:C) + THC double hit murine model.
2. Histological, biochemical and cytoarchitectural analysis of the brain regions involved in schizophrenia.
3. Translation of the results obtained in the clinic and their applicability in patient treatment.