Expression pattern of the cannabinoid receptor genes in the frontal cortex of mood disorder patients and mice selectively bred for high and low fear

Endocannabinoid signaling in the etiology and treatment of major depressive illness

The purpose of this review is to examine human and preclinical data that are relevant to the following hypotheses. The first hypothesis is that deficient CB1R-mediated signaling results in symptoms that mimic those seen in depression. The second hypothesis is that activation of CB1R-mediated signaling results in behavioral, endocrine and other effects that are similar to those produced by currently used antidepressants. The third hypothesis is that conventional antidepressant therapies act through enhanced CB1R mediated signaling. Together the available data indicate that activators of CB1R signaling, particularly inhibitors of fatty acid amide hydrolase, should be considered for clinical trials for the treatment of depression.

Predator threat stress promotes long lasting anxiety-like behaviors and modulates synaptophysin and CB1 receptors expression in brain areas associated with PTSD symptoms

Several studies have suggested that changes in hippocampal, prefrontal cortex and amygdaloid complex function are associated with the main symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Predator exposure can mimic some aspects of PSTD such as hyperarousal and chronic anxiety. However, little is known about the neural substrate involved in this model. Synaptophysin (SYP) expression has been used to evaluate synaptic plastic changes while cannabinoids have emerged as a therapeutic target for the treatment of stress- and anxiety-related disorders. The present work evaluated whether the long lasting behavioral effects evoked by predator exposure are associated to long-term changes in the expression of the Cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) and the synaptic protein SYP in brain areas related to the genesis of PTSD symptoms (frontal cortex, hippocampus and amygdaloid complex). Male Wistar rats were exposed to a live or a dummy cat and seven days later submitted to the elevated plus maze test. To explore possible neurobiological mechanisms involved in these effects, CB1 receptor and SYP mRNA expression were measured in the hippocampus, frontal cortex and amygdaloid complex. Single predator exposure promoted long-lasting anxiogenic effects. Seven days after predator threat CB1 mRNA expression was down regulated in the frontal cortex and amygdaloid complex while SYP gene was up regulated in the amygdaloid complex. Our results suggested that predator exposure causes long-lasting anxiogenic effects associated with hyperactivation of amygdaloid complex and modulation of CB1 receptor in brain areas related to PTSD symptoms.

Expression profiles of mitochondrial genes in the frontal cortex and the caudate nucleus of developing humans and mice selectively bred for high and low fear

A growing body of evidence suggests that mitochondrial function may be important in brain development and psychiatric disorders. However, detailed expression profiles of those genes in human brain development and fear-related behavior remain unclear. Using microarray data available from the public domain and the Gene Ontology analysis, we identified the genes and the functional categories associated with chronological age in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and the caudate nucleus (CN) of psychiatrically normal humans ranging in age from birth to 50 years. Among those, we found that a substantial number of genes in the PFC (115) and the CN (117) are associated with the GO term: mitochondrion (FDR qv <0.05). A greater number of the genes in the PFC (91%) than the genes in the CN (62%) showed a linear increase in expression during postnatal development. Using quantitative PCR, we validated the developmental expression pattern of four genes including monoamine oxidase B (MAOB), NADH dehydrogenase flavoprotein (NDUFV1), mitochondrial uncoupling protein 5 (SLC25A14) and tubulin beta-3 chain (TUBB3). In mice, overall developmental expression pattern of MAOB, SLC25A14 and TUBB3 in the PFC were comparable to the pattern observed in humans (p<0.05). However, mice selectively bred for high fear did not exhibit normal developmental changes of MAOB and TUBB3. These findings suggest that the genes associated with mitochondrial function in the PFC play a significant role in brain development and fear-related behavior.

Upregulation of CB₁ receptor binding in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex promotes proactive stress-coping strategies following chronic stress exposure

Accumulating evidence has revealed that dysregulation of the endocannabinoid system could contribute to the development of major depression. Studies carried out post-mortem in depressed suicide victims have revealed increased CB(1) receptor binding site density in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Accordingly, exposure of rodents to chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) results in phenotypic changes that mirror those of human depression, including increased CB(1) receptor binding site density in the PFC. Our goal in these studies was to examine the effects of CUS on the density of CB(1) receptor binding sites in the rodent medial PFC and to explore the role of this alteration in the behavioral changes invoked by CUS. Rodents exposed to CUS exhibited increased CB(1) receptor maximal binding site density (B(max)) within the ventromedial PFC, but not the dorsomedial PFC. To determine whether this change in the ventromedial PFC is an adaptive response, or alternatively, a consequence of chronic stress that contributes to the adoption of passive coping, we examined whether local CB(1) receptor blockade within the ventromedial PFC following CUS would significantly alter behaviors in the forced swim test (FST). CUS exposure significantly increased passive coping in the FST, and this was further augmented by discrete ventromedial PFC microinfusions of the CB(1) receptor antagonist AM251 prior to swim stress. Moreover, local CB(1) receptor blockade reduced active coping responses in CUS-exposed rats. These findings suggest that the increase in CB(1) receptor B(max) observed in the ventromedial PFC of rodents exposed to CUS maintains proactive coping strategies following chronic stress exposure.