The tetrad test is a series of behavioral paradigms in which rodents treated with cannabinoids such as THC show effects. It is widely used for screening drugs that induce cannabinoid receptor-mediated effects in rodents. The four behavioral components of the tetrad are spontaneous activity, catalepsy, hypothermia, and analgesia. Common assays for these behavioral paradigms are as follows:
Direct CB1 agonists, such as THC (the psychoactive component of marijuana), or WIN 55,212-2, have effects in all components of the tetrad and induce hypomotility, catalepsy, hypothermia, and analgesia in rodents. Accordingly, all true "tetrad effects" are not observed following treatment with antagonists of CB1 such as rimonabant.