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Jutras-Aswad D, DiNieri JA, Harkany T, Hurd YL. Neurobiological consequences of maternal cannabis on human fetal development and its neuropsychiatric outcome. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2009; 259:395-412. [PMID: 19568685 DOI: 10.1007/s00406-009-0027-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 118] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2009] [Accepted: 06/05/2009] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Despite the high prevalence of marijuana use among pregnant women and adolescents, the impact of cannabis on the developing brain is still not well understood. However, growing evidence supports that the endocannabinoid system plays a major role in CNS patterning in structures relevant for mood, cognition, and reward, such as the mesocorticolimbic system. It is thus clear that exposure to cannabis during early ontogeny is not benign and potential compensatory mechanisms that might be expected to occur during neurodevelopment appear insufficient to eliminate vulnerability to neuropsychiatric disorders in certain individuals. Both human longitudinal cohort studies and animal models strongly emphasize the long-term influence of prenatal cannabinoid exposure on behavior and mental health. This review provides an overview of the endocannabinoid system and examines the neurobiological consequences of cannabis exposure in pregnancy and early life by addressing its impact on the development of neurotransmitters systems relevant to neuropsychiatric disorders and its association with these disorders later in life. It posits that studying in utero cannabis exposure in association with genetic mutations of neural systems that have strong relationships to endocannabinoid function, such as the dopamine, opioid, glutamate, and GABA, might help to identify individuals at risk. Such data could add to existing knowledge to guide public health platform in regard to the use of cannabis and its derivatives during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Didier Jutras-Aswad
- Department of Psychiatry, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10029, USA
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252
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Urbanski MJ, Kovacs FE, Szabo B. Depolarizing GABAergic synaptic input triggers endocannabinoid-mediated retrograde synaptic signaling. Synapse 2009; 63:643-52. [PMID: 19347961 DOI: 10.1002/syn.20641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Endocannabinoids released by postsynaptic neurons inhibit neurotransmitter release from presynaptic axon terminals. One typical stimulus of endocannabinoid production is an increase of calcium concentration in postsynaptic neurons. The aim of the present study was to clarify whether depolarizing GABAergic synaptic input, by increasing calcium concentration in postsynaptic neurons, can trigger endocannabinoid production. Spontaneous GABAergic inhibitory postsynaptic currents (sIPSCs) were recorded in Purkinje cells in mouse cerebellar slices with patch-clamp pipettes containing 151 mM chloride (a usual recording mode). sIPSCs were depolarizing inward currents under this condition. Combined electrophysiological and fluorometric calcium imaging experiments indicated that sIPSCs frequently triggered calcium spikes. After the calcium spikes, a short-term suppression of sIPSCs occurred. This suppression was prevented by the CB(1) cannabinoid receptor antagonist rimonabant and the diacylglycerol lipase inhibitor orlistat, but not changed by URB597, an inhibitor of anandamide degradation. It is, therefore, likely that CB(1) receptors and 2-arachidonoylglycerol were involved. For testing the physiological significance of the above observation, we carried out experiments on brains of 3- to 5-day-old mice. The gramicidin-induced perforated patch-clamp mode was used for preserving the physiological intracellular chloride concentration of the neurons. Depolarizing GABAergic sIPSCs occurred under this condition, but at a very low rate. Rimonabant did not change the frequency of these sIPSCs, arguing against the persistence of an endocannabinoid tone. The results point to a new kind of trigger of endocannabinoid production: depolarizing GABAergic synaptic input can elicit endocannabinoid production in postsynaptic neurons by activating calcium channels. The produced endocannabinoid suppresses GABA release from presynaptic axon terminals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Urbanski
- Institut für Experimentelle und Klinische Pharmakologie und Toxikologie, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität, Freiburg i Br, Germany
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253
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Llorente R, Llorente-Berzal A, Petrosino S, Marco EM, Guaza C, Prada C, López-Gallardo M, Di Marzo V, Viveros MP. Gender-dependent cellular and biochemical effects of maternal deprivation on the hippocampus of neonatal rats: a possible role for the endocannabinoid system. Dev Neurobiol 2009; 68:1334-47. [PMID: 18666205 DOI: 10.1002/dneu.20666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Adult animals submitted to a single prolonged episode of maternal deprivation (MD) [24 h, postnatal days (PND) 9-10] show behavioral alterations that resemble specific symptoms of schizophrenia. These behavioral impairments may be related to neuronal loss in the hippocampus triggered by elevated glucocorticoids. Furthermore, our previous data suggested functional relationships between MD stress and the endocannabinoid system. In this study, we addressed the effects of MD on hippocampal glial cells and the possible relationship with changes in plasma corticosterone (CORT) levels. In addition, we investigated the putative involvement of the endocannabinoid system by evaluating (a) the effects of MD on hippocampal levels of endocannabinoids (b) The modulation of MD effects by two inhibitors of endocannabinoids inactivation, the fatty acid amide hydrolase inhibitor N-arachidonoyl-serotonin (AA-5-HT), and the endocannabinoid reuptake inhibitor, OMDM-2. Drug treatments were administered once daily from PND 7 to PND 12 at a dose of 5 mg/kg, and the animals were sacrificed at PND 13. MD induced increased CORT levels in both genders. MD males also showed an increased number of astrocytes in CA1 and CA3 areas and a significant increase in hippocampal 2-arachidonoylglycerol. The cannabinoid compounds reversed the endocrine and cellular effects of maternal deprivation. We provide direct evidence for gender-dependent cellular and biochemical effects of MD on developmental hippocampus, including changes in the endocannabinoid system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Llorente
- Departamento de Fisiología (Fisiología Animal II), Facultad de Biología, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
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254
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Basavarajappa BS, Nixon RA, Arancio O. Endocannabinoid system: emerging role from neurodevelopment to neurodegeneration. Mini Rev Med Chem 2009; 9:448-62. [PMID: 19356123 DOI: 10.2174/138955709787847921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
The endocannabinoid system, including endogenous ligands ('endocannabinoids' ECs), their receptors, synthesizing and degrading enzymes, as well as transporter molecules, has been detected from the earliest stages of embryonic development and throughout pre- and postnatal development. ECs are bioactive lipids, which comprise amides, esters and ethers of long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. Anandamide (N-arachidonoylethanolamine; AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) are the best studied ECs, and act as agonists of cannabinoid receptors. Thus, AEA and 2-AG mimic several pharmacological effects of the exogenous cannabinoid delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta(9)-THC), the psychoactive principle of cannabis sativa preparations like hashish and marijuana. Recently, however, several lines of evidence have suggested that the EC system may play an important role in early neuronal development as well as a widespread role in neurodegeneration disorders. Many of the effects of cannabinoids and ECs are mediated by two G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), CB1 and CB2, although additional receptors may be implicated. Both CB1 and CB2 couple primarily to inhibitory G proteins and are subject to the same pharmacological influences as other GPCRs. This new system is briefly presented in this review, in order to put in a better perspective the role of the EC pathway from neurodevelopment to neurodegenerative disorders, like Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, and multiple sclerosis. In addition, the potential exploitation of antagonists of CB1 receptors, or of inhibitors of EC metabolism, as next-generation therapeutics is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Balapal S Basavarajappa
- Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, 140 Old Orangeburg Rd, Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA.
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255
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Abstract
The cannabinoid CB1 receptor (CB1) is one of the most abundant G protein-coupled receptors in the brain, but little is known about the mechanisms that modulate CB1 receptor signaling. Here, we show that inhibition or null mutation of the epsilon isozyme of protein kinase C (PKCepsilon) selectively enhances behavioral responses to the CB1 agonist WIN55,212-2 in mice, but not to the structurally unrelated CB1 agonist CP55,940. Binding affinity for [(3)H] WIN55,212-2 was increased in brain membranes from PKCepsilon(-/-) mice compared with PKCepsilon(+/+) mice. There was no difference in binding of the inverse agonist [(3)H] SR141716A. In addition, repeated administration of WIN55,212-2 produced greater analgesic and thermal tolerance in PKCvarepsilon(-/-) mice compared with PKCepsilon(+/+)mice. These results indicate that PKCvarepsilon selectively regulates behavioral sensitivity, CB1 receptor binding and tolerance to WIN55,212-2.
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256
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Derauf C, Kekatpure M, Neyzi N, Lester B, Kosofsky B. Neuroimaging of children following prenatal drug exposure. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2009; 20:441-54. [PMID: 19560049 PMCID: PMC2704485 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2009.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2008] [Revised: 03/02/2009] [Accepted: 03/03/2009] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Recent advances in MR-based brain imaging methods have provided unprecedented capabilities to visualize the brain. Application of these methods has allowed identification of brain structures and patterns of functional activation altered in offspring of mothers who used licit (e.g., alcohol and tobacco) and illicit (e.g., cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana) drugs during pregnancy. Here we review that literature, which though somewhat limited by the complexities of separating the specific effects of each drug from other confounding variables, points to sets of interconnected brain structures as being altered following prenatal exposure to drugs of abuse. In particular, dopamine-rich cortical (e.g., frontal cortex) and subcortical (e.g., basal ganglia) fetal brain structures show evidence of vulnerability to intrauterine drug exposure suggesting that during brain development drugs of abuse share a specific profile of developmental neurotoxicity. Such brain malformations may shed light on mechanisms underlying prenatal drug-induced brain injury, may serve as bio-markers of significant intrauterine drug exposure, and may additionally be predictors of subsequent neuro-developmental compromise. Wider clinical use of these research-based non-invasive methods will allow for improved diagnosis and allocation of therapeutic resources for affected infants, children, and young adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris Derauf
- John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI
| | - Minal Kekatpure
- Department of Pediatrics, New York Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY
| | - Nurunisa Neyzi
- Department of Pediatrics, New York Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY
| | - Barry Lester
- Brown Center for the Study of Children at Risk, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and Women and Infants’ Hospital, Providence, RI
| | - Barry Kosofsky
- Department of Pediatrics, New York Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY
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257
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Ferraro L, Tomasini MC, Beggiato S, Gaetani S, Cassano T, Cuomo V, Amoroso S, Tanganelli S, Antonelli T. Short- and long-term consequences of prenatal exposure to the cannabinoid agonist WIN55,212-2 on rat glutamate transmission and cognitive functions. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2009; 116:1017-27. [DOI: 10.1007/s00702-009-0230-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2008] [Accepted: 04/17/2009] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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258
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Turu G, Várnai P, Gyombolai P, Szidonya L, Offertaler L, Bagdy G, Kunos G, Hunyady L. Paracrine transactivation of the CB1 cannabinoid receptor by AT1 angiotensin and other Gq/11 protein-coupled receptors. J Biol Chem 2009; 284:16914-16921. [PMID: 19357084 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m109.003681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Intracellular signaling systems of G protein-coupled receptors are well established, but their role in paracrine regulation of adjacent cells is generally considered as a tissue-specific mechanism. We have shown previously that AT(1) receptor (AT(1)R) stimulation leads to diacylglycerol lipase-mediated transactivation of co-expressed CB(1)Rs in Chinese hamster ovary cells. In the present study we detected a paracrine effect of the endocannabinoid release from Chinese hamster ovary, COS7, and HEK293 cells during the stimulation of AT(1) angiotensin receptors by determining CB(1) cannabinoid receptor activity with bioluminescence resonance energy transfer-based sensors of G protein activation expressed in separate cells. The angiotensin II-induced, paracrine activation of CB(1) receptors was visualized by detecting translocation of green fluorescent protein-tagged beta-arrestin2. Mass spectrometry analyses have demonstrated angiotensin II-induced stimulation of 2-arachidonoylglycerol production, whereas no increase of anandamide levels was observed. Stimulation of G(q/11)-coupled M(1), M(3), M(5) muscarinic, V(1) vasopressin, alpha(1a) adrenergic, B(2) bradykinin receptors, but not G(i/o)-coupled M(2) and M(4) muscarinic receptors, also led to paracrine transactivation of CB(1) receptors. These data suggest that, in addition to their retrograde neurotransmitter role, endocannabinoids have much broader paracrine mediator functions during activation of G(q/11)-coupled receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gábor Turu
- From the Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Péter Várnai
- From the Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Pál Gyombolai
- From the Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - László Szidonya
- From the Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - László Offertaler
- Laboratory of Physiologic Studies, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-9413
| | - György Bagdy
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary; Group of Neuropsychopharmacology, Semmelweis University and Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - George Kunos
- Laboratory of Physiologic Studies, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-9413
| | - László Hunyady
- From the Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Budapest, Hungary; Laboratory of Neurobiochemistry and Molecular Physiology, Budapest, Hungary.
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259
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Giroud C, Bollmann M, Thomas A, Mangin P, Favrat B. Consommation de cannabis: quels sont les risques ? ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2009. [DOI: 10.1051/ata/2009021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
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260
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Vural IM, Ozturk GS, Sarioglu Y. Functional Characterization of Nonadrenergic Noncholinergic Neurotransmitter Release via Endocannabinoids: An in Vitro Study in Rabbit Corpus Cavernosum. J Sex Med 2009; 6:717-29. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1743-6109.2008.01003.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
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261
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Migliarini B, Carnevali O. A novel role for the endocannabinoid system during zebrafish development. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2009; 299:172-7. [PMID: 19071191 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2008.11.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2008] [Revised: 11/11/2008] [Accepted: 11/11/2008] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to increase our understanding of the physiological functions controlled by the endocannabinoid system during embryogenesis. Using genomic and proteomic methodologies applied to zebrafish, we proved, for the first time in an oviparous species, that the cannabinoid receptor CB1 is not a maternal factor. The analysis of different developmental stages showed that the zygotic expression of CB1 occurs from the 3 somites stage while CB1 protein becomes evident during hatching time, indicating an involvement in the hatching process. This result was supported by the data regarding embryo exposure to the CB1 antagonist, AM251, consisting in a 75% decrease in hatching rate. In addition, as previously described for mammals, we observed a role of CB1 in the motility behavior in zebrafish larvae.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Migliarini
- Marine Sciences Department, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Via Brecce Bianche 60131, Ancona, Italy
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262
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Widmer M, Hanemann CO, Zajicek J. High concentrations of cannabinoids activate apoptosis in human U373MG glioma cells. J Neurosci Res 2009; 86:3212-20. [PMID: 18615640 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.21757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Cannabinoids bind to two G-protein-coupled receptors, CB1 and CB2, expressed by neurons and cells of the immune system, respectively. Glioma cells (astrocyte-derived brain tumor cells) express cannabinoid receptors, and numerous in vitro and in vivo studies performed in rodents have concluded that apoptosis could be induced by cannabinoids in these cells. Whether this also applies to human cells is controversial; we, therefore, assessed the effect of cannabinoids on human glioma cell viability with the human astrocytoma cell line U373MG. We report here that U373MG human glioma cells are sensitive only to high concentrations of cannabinoids (>5 microg/ml for Delta(9)-THC). Similar concentrations of the compounds promoted a rapid activation of extracellular-regulated kinase and c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase, suggesting that cannabinoid receptors are functional in U373MG cells. Nevertheless, these kinases are not involved in cannabinoid-induced cell death in U373MG cells, insofar as blocking their activation with specific inhibitors does not reduce cell death. CB1 is expressed in U373MG cells and is involved in cannabinoid-induced cell death, in that blocking its activation with a specific antagonist (AM251) almost totally prevented cell death following incubation of the cells with Delta(9)-THC. In addition, as already reported, some cannabinoids may have modest proproliferative properties in U373MG cells. Human U373MG glioma cells are sensitive only to very high, pharmacologically irrelevant concentrations of cannabinoids, so it seems unlikely that cannabinoids would constitute promising molecules for treating malignant astrocytoma; they do not induce glioma cell death at doses that could be applied safely to humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Widmer
- Clinical Neurology, Institute of Biomedical and Clinical Science, Peninsula Medical School, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK
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263
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Marco EM, Rubino T, Adriani W, Viveros MP, Parolaro D, Laviola G. Long-term consequences of URB597 administration during adolescence on cannabinoid CB1 receptor binding in brain areas. Brain Res 2009; 1257:25-31. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2008.12.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2008] [Revised: 12/11/2008] [Accepted: 12/14/2008] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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264
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Vitalis T, Lainé J, Simon A, Roland A, Leterrier C, Lenkei Z. The type 1 cannabinoid receptor is highly expressed in embryonic cortical projection neurons and negatively regulates neurite growth in vitro. Eur J Neurosci 2009; 28:1705-18. [PMID: 18973587 DOI: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2008.06484.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
In the rodent and human embryonic brains, the cerebral cortex and hippocampus transiently express high levels of type 1 cannabinoid receptors (CB(1)Rs), at a developmental stage when these areas are composed mainly of glutamatergic neurons. However, the precise cellular and subcellular localization of CB(1)R expression as well as effects of CB(1)R modulation in this cell population remain largely unknown. We report that, starting from embryonic day 12.5, CB(1)Rs are strongly expressed in both reelin-expressing Cajal-Retzius cells and newly differentiated postmitotic glutamatergic neurons of the mouse telencephalon. CB(1)R protein is localized first to somato-dendritic endosomes and at later developmental stages it localizes mostly to developing axons. In young axons, CB(1)Rs are localized both to the axolemma and to large, often multivesicular endosomes. Acute maternal injection of agonist CP-55940 results in the relocation of receptors from axons to somato-dendritic endosomes, indicating the functional competence of embryonic CB(1)Rs. The adult phenotype of CB(1)R expression is established around postnatal day 5. By using pharmacological and mutational modulation of CB(1)R activity in isolated cultured rat hippocampal neurons, we also show that basal activation of CB(1)R acts as a negative regulatory signal for dendritogenesis, dendritic and axonal outgrowth, and branching. Together, the overall negative regulatory role in neurite development suggests that embryonic CB(1)R signaling may participate in the correct establishment of neuronal connectivity and suggests a possible mechanism for the development of reported glutamatergic dysfunction in the offspring following maternal cannabis consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tania Vitalis
- CNRS-UMR 7637, Laboratoire de neurobiologie et diversité cellulaire, Paris, France.
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265
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Analgesic and antiinflammatory effects of cannabinoid receptor agonists in a rat model of neuropathic pain. Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol 2009; 379:627-36. [DOI: 10.1007/s00210-008-0386-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2008] [Accepted: 12/15/2008] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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266
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Fride E, Gobshtis N, Dahan H, Weller A, Giuffrida A, Ben-Shabat S. The endocannabinoid system during development: emphasis on perinatal events and delayed effects. VITAMINS AND HORMONES 2009; 81:139-58. [PMID: 19647111 DOI: 10.1016/s0083-6729(09)81006-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The endocannabinoid system (ECS) including its receptors, endogenous ligands ("endocannabinoids"), synthesizing and degradating enzymes, and transporter molecules has been detected from the earliest embryonal stages and throughout pre- and postnatal development; endocannabinoids, notably 2-arachidonoylglycerol, are also present in maternal milk. During three developmental stages, (1) early embryonal, (2) prenatal brain development, and (3) postnatal suckling, the ECS plays an essential role for development and survival. During early gestation, successful embryonal passage through the oviduct and implantation into the uterus require critical enzymatic control of the endocannabinoids. During fetal life, endocannabinoids and the cannabinoid CB(1) receptor are important for brain development, regulating neural progenitor differentiation and guiding axonal migration and synaptogenesis. Postnatally, CB(1) receptor activation by 2-arachidonoylglycerol appears to play a critical role in the initiation of milk suckling in mouse pups, possibly by enabling innervation and/or activation of the tongue muscles. Perinatal manipulation of the ECS, by administering cannabinoids or by maternal marijuana consumption, alters neurotransmitter and behavioral functions in the offspring. Interestingly, the sequelae of prenatal cannabinoids are similar to many effects of prenatal stress, which may suggest that prenatal stress impacts on the ECS and that vice versa prenatal cannabinoid exposure may interfere with the ability of the fetus to cope with the stress. Future studies should further clarify the mechanisms involved in the developmental roles of the ECS and understand better the adverse effects of prenatal exposure, to design strategies for the treatment of conditions including infertility, addiction, and failure-to-thrive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ester Fride
- Department of Behavioral Sciences and Molecular Biology, Ariel University Center of Samaria, Ariel, Israel
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267
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Chapter 9 Developmental Exposure to Cannabinoids Causes Subtle and Enduring Neurofunctional Alterations. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2009; 85:117-33. [DOI: 10.1016/s0074-7742(09)85009-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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268
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Wood JT, Williams JS, Pandarinathan L, Courville A, Keplinger MR, Janero DR, Vouros P, Makriyannis A, Lammi-Keefe CJ. Comprehensive profiling of the human circulating endocannabinoid metabolome: clinical sampling and sample storage parameters. Clin Chem Lab Med 2008; 46:1289-95. [PMID: 18611105 DOI: 10.1515/cclm.2008.242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Endogenous cannabinoid-receptor ligands (endocannabinoids) and over a dozen related metabolites now comprise the "endocannabinoid metabolome". The diverse (patho)physiological roles of endocannabinoids, the predictive/diagnostic utility of systemic endocannabinoid levels, and the growing interest in endocannabinoid-related pharmacotherapeutics mandate a valid clinical protocol for processing human blood that does not jeopardize profiling of the circulating endocannabinoid metabolome. METHODS We systematically evaluated the potential effect of pre-analytical variables associated with phlebotomy and sample handling/work-up on the human-blood endocannabinoid metabolome as quantified by state-of-the-art liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. RESULTS Neither subject posture during phlebotomy nor moderate activity beforehand influenced the blood levels of the 15 endocannabinoid-system lipids quantified. Storage of fresh blood at 4 degrees C selectively enhanced ethanolamide concentrations artifactually without affecting monoglycerides and nonesterified fatty acids, such as arachidonic acid. In marked contrast, ethanolamides and monoglycerides remained stable through three plasma freeze/thaw cycles, whereas plasma arachidonic acid content increased, probably a reflection of ongoing metabolism. CONCLUSIONS Class- and compound-selective pre-analytical influences on circulating human endocannabinoid levels necessitate immediate plasma preparation from fresh blood and prompt plasma apportioning and snap-freezing. Repeated plasma thawing and refreezing should be avoided. This protocol ensures sample integrity for evaluating the circulating endocannabinoid metabolome in the clinical setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- JodiAnne T Wood
- Center for Drug Discovery, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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269
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Gómez M, Hernández M, Fernández-Ruiz J. Cannabinoid signaling system: does it play a function in cell proliferation and migration, neuritic elongation and guidance and synaptogenesis during brain ontogenesis? Cell Adh Migr 2008; 2:246-8. [PMID: 19262157 DOI: 10.4161/cam.2.4.6749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The cannabinoid signaling system is located during brain development in a position concordant with playing a modulatory function in the regulation of neuronal and glial cell proliferation and migration, survival of neural progenitors, axonal elongation and synaptogenesis and differentiation of oligodendrocytes and formation of myelin. This assumption is based on the fact that CB(1) receptors and their ligands emerge early in brain development and are transiently expressed in certain brain regions that play key roles in these processes. We have recently proposed that this modulatory action might be exerted through regulating L1 and other cell adhesion molecules, that are also key elements for those processes. The present commentary will address these two questions trying to summarize all the available evidence and to suggest the future directions for research.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Gómez
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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270
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López-Gallardo M, Llorente R, Llorente-Berzal A, Marco E, Prada C, Di Marzo V, Viveros M. Neuronal and glial alterations in the cerebellar cortex of maternally deprived rats: Gender differences and modulatory effects of two inhibitors of endocannabinoid inactivation. Dev Neurobiol 2008; 68:1429-40. [DOI: 10.1002/dneu.20672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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271
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Hansen HH, Krutz B, Sifringer M, Stefovska V, Bittigau P, Pragst F, Marsicano G, Lutz B, Ikonomidou C. Cannabinoids enhance susceptibility of immature brain to ethanol neurotoxicity. Ann Neurol 2008; 64:42-52. [PMID: 18067175 DOI: 10.1002/ana.21287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Marijuana and alcohol are most widely abused drugs among women of reproductive age. Neurocognitive deficits have been reported in children whose mothers used marijuana during pregnancy. Maternal consumption of ethanol is known to cause serious developmental deficits METHODS Infant rats and mice received systemic injections of Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC; 1-10mg/kg) or the synthetic cannabinoid WIN 55,212-2 (1-10mg/kg), alone or in combination with subtoxic and toxic ethanol doses, and apoptotic neurodegeneration was studied in the brains RESULTS Acute administration of THC (1-10mg/kg), the principal psychoactive cannabinoid of marijuana, markedly enhanced proapoptotic properties of ethanol in the neonatal rat brain. THC did not induce neurodegeneration when administered alone. Neuronal degeneration became disseminated and severe when THC was combined with a mildly intoxicating ethanol dose (3gm/kg), with the effect of this drug combination resembling the massive apoptotic death observed when administering ethanol alone at much higher doses. The detrimental effect of THC was mimicked by the synthetic cannabinoid WIN 55,212-2 (1-10mg/kg) and counteracted by the CB(1) receptor antagonist SR141716A (0.4mg/kg). THC enhanced the proapoptotic effect of the GABA(A) agonist phenobarbital and the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist dizocilpine. Interestingly, infant CB(1) receptor knock-out mice were less susceptible to the neurotoxic effect of ethanol. Furthermore, the CB(1) receptor antagonist SR141716A ameliorated neurotoxicity of ethanol INTERPRETATION These observations indicate that CB(1) receptor activation modulates GABAergic and glutamatergic neurotransmission and primes the developing brain to suffer apoptotic neuronal death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henrik H Hansen
- Department of Pediatric Neurology and Neuroscience Research Center, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany
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272
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Rubio-Araiz A, Arévalo-Martín Á, Gómez-Torres O, Navarro-Galve B, García-Ovejero D, Suetterlin P, Sánchez-Heras E, Molina-Holgado E, Molina-Holgado F. The endocannabinoid system modulates a transient TNF pathway that induces neural stem cell proliferation. Mol Cell Neurosci 2008; 38:374-80. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2008.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2007] [Revised: 03/14/2008] [Accepted: 03/28/2008] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
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273
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Trezza V, Campolongo P, Cassano T, Macheda T, Dipasquale P, Carratù MR, Gaetani S, Cuomo V. Effects of perinatal exposure to delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol on the emotional reactivity of the offspring: a longitudinal behavioral study in Wistar rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2008; 198:529-37. [PMID: 18452035 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-008-1162-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2007] [Accepted: 04/04/2008] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE The endocannabinoid system plays a crucial role in the control of emotionality and recent clinical findings have shown that heavy prenatal exposure to cannabis is significantly associated with self-reported anxiety symptoms in exposed children. However, the long-term neurobehavioral consequences of in utero exposure to low-moderate doses of cannabinoid compounds have never been investigated. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to investigate whether perinatal exposure to moderate doses of the active constituent of cannabis, the CB(1) cannabinoid receptor agonist delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), influences the emotional reactivity of rat offspring. METHODS Primiparous Wistar rats were treated during pregnancy and lactation with doses of THC equivalent to the current estimates of moderate cannabis consumption in humans (2.5-5 mg kg(-1), per os, from gestational day 15 to postnatal day 9). The emotional reactivity of infant, adolescent, and adult offspring was investigated using the isolation-induced ultrasonic vocalization, social interaction, and elevated plus-maze tests, respectively. RESULTS Perinatal THC treatment did not affect parameters of reproduction; however, at the dose of 5 mg kg(-1), it increased the number of ultrasounds emitted by rat pups removed from the nest, inhibited social interaction and play behavior in the adolescent offspring, and induced an anxiogenic-like profile in the adult offspring tested in the elevated plus-maze test. CONCLUSION These results suggest that the endocannabinoid system is involved in the control of emotionality since early developmental stages. Thus, even moderate doses of cannabinoid compounds, when administered during the perinatal period, can have profound consequences for brain maturation, leading to long-lasting neurodevelopmental alterations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viviana Trezza
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, P. le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
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274
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Endocannabinoid signaling controls pyramidal cell specification and long-range axon patterning. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2008; 105:8760-5. [PMID: 18562289 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0803545105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 227] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Endocannabinoids (eCBs) have recently been identified as axon guidance cues shaping the connectivity of local GABAergic interneurons in the developing cerebrum. However, eCB functions during pyramidal cell specification and establishment of long-range axonal connections are unknown. Here, we show that eCB signaling is operational in subcortical proliferative zones from embryonic day 12 in the mouse telencephalon and controls the proliferation of pyramidal cell progenitors and radial migration of immature pyramidal cells. When layer patterning is accomplished, developing pyramidal cells rely on eCB signaling to initiate the elongation and fasciculation of their long-range axons. Accordingly, CB(1) cannabinoid receptor (CB(1)R) null and pyramidal cell-specific conditional mutant (CB(1)R(f/f,NEX-Cre)) mice develop deficits in neuronal progenitor proliferation and axon fasciculation. Likewise, axonal pathfinding becomes impaired after in utero pharmacological blockade of CB(1)Rs. Overall, eCBs are fundamental developmental cues controlling pyramidal cell development during corticogenesis.
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275
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Luzi S, Morrison PD, Powell J, Di Forti M, Murray RM. What is the mechanism whereby cannabis use increases risk of psychosis? Neurotox Res 2008; 14:105-12. [DOI: 10.1007/bf03033802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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276
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Bromberg KD, Ma'ayan A, Neves SR, Iyengar R. Design logic of a cannabinoid receptor signaling network that triggers neurite outgrowth. Science 2008; 320:903-9. [PMID: 18487186 PMCID: PMC2776723 DOI: 10.1126/science.1152662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1R) regulates neuronal differentiation. To understand the logic underlying decision-making in the signaling network controlling CB1R-induced neurite outgrowth, we profiled the activation of several hundred transcription factors after cell stimulation. We assembled an in silico signaling network by connecting CB1R to 23 activated transcription factors. Statistical analyses of this network predicted a role for the breast cancer 1 protein BRCA1 in neuronal differentiation and a new pathway from CB1R through phosphoinositol 3-kinase to the transcription factor paired box 6 (PAX6). Both predictions were experimentally confirmed. Results of transcription factor activation experiments that used pharmacological inhibitors of kinases revealed a network organization of partial OR gates regulating kinases stacked above AND gates that control transcription factors, which together allow for distributed decision-making in CB1R-induced neurite outgrowth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth D. Bromberg
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Therapeutics, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Avi Ma'ayan
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Therapeutics, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Susana R. Neves
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Therapeutics, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Ravi Iyengar
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Therapeutics, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029, USA
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277
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Newsom RJ, Kelly SJ. Perinatal delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol exposure disrupts social and open field behavior in adult male rats. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2008; 30:213-9. [PMID: 18272327 PMCID: PMC2497338 DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2007.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2007] [Revised: 12/06/2007] [Accepted: 12/21/2007] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Marijuana is the most frequently used illegal drug among women of reproductive age, but little is known about the consequences of using marijuana during pregnancy. Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta9-THC), one of the active chemicals in marijuana, has been shown to cross the placental barrier easily. In this study, pregnant Long Evans rats were assigned to one of three treatment groups (Delta9-THC-exposed, vehicle control, and non-treated control) on day 1 of gestation. Drug exposure consisted of 2 mg/kg of natural Delta9-THC, administered twice daily by subcutaneous (s.c.) injection, from gestational day 1 through 22. Pups continued to receive drug exposure via s.c. injection from postnatal day 2 through 10. Male rats from each group were tested starting on postnatal day 90 in a battery of tests which included open field activity, active social interaction, and the forced swim test. There were no significant differences in weight gained by dams or weight of offspring when compared to controls. Delta9-THC-exposed rats showed decreased time in the inner part of the open field and an increase in investigation time in the test of social interaction compared to both control groups. There were no differences among groups in the forced swim test. Perinatal Delta9-THC exposure may result in increased susceptibility to anxious behavior and alter social functioning in adult offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- R J Newsom
- Department of Psychology, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
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278
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Gowran A, Campbell VA. A role for p53 in the regulation of lysosomal permeability by Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol in rat cortical neurones: implications for neurodegeneration. J Neurochem 2008; 105:1513-24. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2008.05278.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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279
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Fride E. Multiple roles for the endocannabinoid system during the earliest stages of life: pre- and postnatal development. J Neuroendocrinol 2008; 20 Suppl 1:75-81. [PMID: 18426504 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2826.2008.01670.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
The endocannabinoid system, including its receptors (CB(1) and CB(2)), endogenous ligands ('endocannabinoids'), synthesising and degrading enzymes, as well as transporter molecules, has been detected from the earliest stages of embryonic development and throughout pre- and postnatal development. In addition, the endocannabinoids, notably 2-arachidonyl glycerol, are also present in maternal milk. During three distinct developmental stages (i.e. embryonic implantation, prenatal brain development and postnatal suckling), the endocannabinoid system appears to play an essential role for development and survival. Thus, during early pregnancy, successful embryonic passage through the oviduct and implantation into the uterus both require critical enzymatic control of optimal anandamide levels at the appropriate times and sites. During foetal life, the cannabinoid CB(1) receptor plays a major role in brain development, regulating neural progenitor differentiation into neurones and glia and guiding axonal migration and synaptogenesis. Postnatally, CB(1) receptor blockade interferes with the initiation of milk suckling in mouse pups, by inducing oral motor weakness, which exposes a critical role for CB(1) receptors in the initiation of milk suckling by neonates, possibly by interfering with innervation of the tongue muscles. Manipulating the endocannabinoid system by pre- and/or postnatal administration of cannabinoids or maternal marijuana consumption, has significant, yet subtle effects on the offspring. Thus, alterations in the dopamine, GABA and endocannabinoid systems have been reported while enhanced drug seeking behaviour and impaired executive (prefrontal cortical) function have also been observed. The relatively mild nature of the disruptive effects of prenatal cannabinoids may be understood in the framework of the intricate timing requirements and frequently biphasic effects of the (endo)cannabinoids. In conclusion, the endocannabinoid system plays several key roles in pre- and postnatal development. Future studies should further clarify the mechanisms involved and provide a better understanding of the adverse effects of prenatal exposure, in order to design strategies for the treatment of conditions such as infertility, mental retardation and failure-to-thrive.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Fride
- Department of Behavioural Sciences, Ariel University Center of Samaria, Ariel, Israel.
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280
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Bromberg KD, Iyengar R, He JC. Regulation of neurite outgrowth by G(i/o) signaling pathways. FRONT BIOSCI-LANDMRK 2008; 13:4544-57. [PMID: 18508528 DOI: 10.2741/3022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Neurogenesis is a long and winding journey. A neural progenitor cell migrates long distances, differentiates by forming a single axon and multiple dendrites, undergoes maturation, and ultimately survives. The initial formation of neurites during neuronal differentiation, commonly referred to as "neurite outgrowth," can be induced by a large repertoire of signals that stimulate an array of receptors and downstream signaling pathways. The G(i/o) family of heterotrimeric G-proteins are abundantly expressed in the brain and enriched at neuronal growth cones. Recent evidence has uncovered several G(i/o)-coupled receptors that induce neurite outgrowth and has begun to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms. Emerging data suggests that signals from several G(i/o)-coupled receptors converge at the transcription factor STAT3 to regulate neurite outgrowth and at Rac1 and Cdc42 to regulate cytoskeletal reorganization. Physiologically, signaling through G(i/o)-coupled cannabinoid receptors is critical for pro percentral nervous system development. As the mechanisms by which G(i/o)-coupled receptors regulate neurite outgrowth are clarified, it is becoming evident that modulating signals from G(i/o) and their receptors has great potential for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth D Bromberg
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Therapeutics, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029, USA.
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281
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Capasso R, Izzo AA. Gastrointestinal regulation of food intake: general aspects and focus on anandamide and oleoylethanolamide. J Neuroendocrinol 2008; 20 Suppl 1:39-46. [PMID: 18426498 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2826.2008.01686.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
The gastrointestinal tract plays a pivotal role in the regulation of food intake and energy balance. Signals from the gastrointestinal tract generally function to limit ingestion in the interest of efficient digestion. These signals may be released into the bloodstream or may activate afferent neurones that carry information to the brain and its cognitive centres, which regulates food intake. The rate at which nutrients become systemically available is also influenced by gastrointestinal motility: a delay in gastric emptying may evoke a satiety effect. Recent evidence suggests that the endocannabinoid anandamide and the related acylethanolamide oleoylethanolamide are produced in the intestine and might regulate feeding behaviour by engaging sensory afferent neurones that converge information to specific areas of the brain. The intestinal levels of these acylethanolamides are inversely correlated to feeding, as food deprivation increases intestinal levels of anandamide (which acts in the gut as a 'hunger signal'), while it decreases the levels of oleoylethanolamide (which acts in the gut as a 'satiety signal'). Additionally, these acylethanolamides, whose gastric levels change in response to diet-induced obesity, alter gastrointestinal motility, which might contribute to their effect on food intake and nutrient absorption.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Capasso
- Department of Experimental Pharmacology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
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282
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Harkany T, Keimpema E, Barabás K, Mulder J. Endocannabinoid functions controlling neuronal specification during brain development. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2008; 286:S84-90. [PMID: 18394789 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2008.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 131] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2007] [Revised: 02/19/2008] [Accepted: 02/19/2008] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Endocannabinoids (eCBs) regulate a broad range of physiological functions in the postnatal brain and are implicated in the neuropathogenesis of psychiatric and metabolic diseases. Accumulating evidence indicates that eCB signaling also serves key functions during neurodevelopment; and is inherently involved in the control of neurogenesis, neural progenitor proliferation, lineage segregation, and the migration and phenotypic specification of immature neurons. Recent advances in developmental biology define fundamental eCB-driven cellular mechanisms that also contribute to our understanding of the molecular substrates of prenatal drug, in particular cannabis, actions. Here, we summarize known organizing principles of eCB-signaling systems in the developing telencephalon, and outline the sequence of decision points and underlying signaling pathways upon CB1 cannabinoid receptor activation that contribute to neuronal diversification in the developing brain. Finally, we discuss how these novel principles affect the formation of complex neuronal networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tibor Harkany
- Institute of Medical Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, Scotland, United Kingdom.
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283
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The endocannabinoid receptor, CB1, is required for normal axonal growth and fasciculation. Mol Cell Neurosci 2008; 38:89-97. [PMID: 18378465 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2008.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 108] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2007] [Accepted: 02/07/2008] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Endocannabinoids are retrograde neurotransmitters, which act upon the presynaptically located, G-protein coupled receptor CB1, to modulate synaptic transmission in the adult brain. Recently, however, a number of lines of evidence have suggested that endocannabinoid signalling may play an important role in early neuronal development. In this study, we show that the CB1 receptor has a wide expression pattern in the developing nervous system and that its expression follows neuronal differentiation in the embryo from the earliest stages. We also show that the enzymes involved in 2-AG synthesis are expressed in an overlapping manner at these stages. We further show that interfering with CB1 function using a pharmacological inhibitor causes problems in axon pathfinding and fasciculation. Similarly, CB1 gene knock down in the zebrafish by morpholino injection results in defects in axonal growth and fasciculation in these embryos. Thus CB1 function is required in the early embryo for axonal growth and fasciculation.
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284
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE This is a prospective study of the effects of prenatal marijuana exposure on the intelligence test performance of 648 children at a 6-year follow-up. METHOD Women were interviewed about the amount and frequency of their marijuana use at 4 and 7 months of pregnancy and at delivery. Participants were light to moderate users of marijuana and represented a lower income population. Children were assessed with the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale by examiners blind to exposure status. Multiple regression was applied to examine the effects of prenatal marijuana exposure on children's intelligence after partialing out the effects of other significant predictors. RESULTS There was a significant nonlinear relationship between marijuana exposure and child intelligence. Heavy marijuana use (one or more cigarettes per day) during the first trimester was associated with lower verbal reasoning scores on the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale. Heavy use during the second trimester predicted deficits in the composite, short-term memory, and quantitative scores. Third-trimester heavy use was negatively associated with the quantitative score. Other significant predictors of intelligence included maternal IQ, home environment, and social support. CONCLUSIONS These findings indicate that prenatal marijuana exposure has a significant effect on school-age intellectual development.
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285
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Gómez M, Hernández ML, Pazos MR, Tolón RM, Romero J, Fernández-Ruiz J. Colocalization of CB1 receptors with L1 and GAP-43 in forebrain white matter regions during fetal rat brain development: evidence for a role of these receptors in axonal growth and guidance. Neuroscience 2008; 153:687-99. [PMID: 18400407 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2008.02.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2007] [Revised: 01/19/2008] [Accepted: 02/05/2008] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
There is recent evidence supporting the notion that the cannabinoid signaling system plays a modulatory role in the regulation of cell proliferation and migration, survival of neural progenitors, neuritic elongation and guidance, and synaptogenesis. This assumption is based on the fact that cannabinoid 1-type receptors (CB(1) receptors) and their ligands emerge early in brain development and are abundantly expressed in certain brain regions that play key roles in these processes. We have recently presented in vivo evidence showing that this modulatory action might be exerted through regulating the synthesis of the cell adhesion molecule L1 that is also a key element for those processes. To further explore this issue, we conducted here immunohistochemical studies aimed at determining the cellular substrates of CB(1) receptor-L1 interactions in the rat brain during late fetal development. In this period, we previously found that the activation of CB(1) receptors increased L1 synthesis in several forebrain white matter regions but not in gray matter areas. Using double labeling studies, we observed here colocalization of both proteins in fiber tracts including the corpus callosum, the adjacent subcortical white matter, the internal capsule and the anterior commissure. Experiments conducted with cultures of fetal rat cortical nerve cells revealed that L1 is present mainly in neurons but not in glial cells. This fact, together with the results obtained in the double labeling studies, would indicate that L1 and CB(1) receptors should possibly be present in axons elongating through these white matter tracts, or, alternatively, in migrating neurons. Further experiments confirmed the presence of CB(1) receptors in elongating axons, since these receptors colocalized with growth-associated protein 43 (GAP-43), a marker of growth cones, but not with synaptophysin, a marker of active synaptic terminals, in the same forebrain white matter regions. Lastly, using cultured fetal rat cortical neurons, we also observed that the activation of cannabinoid receptors increased the levels of the full-length L1 and altered those of some active proteolytic fragments of this protein whose generation has been associated with specific steps in the process of neuritic elongation in cultured neurons. In summary, we have demonstrated that the effects caused by cannabinoid agonists on L1 are facilitated by the colocalization of this cell adhesion molecule with CB(1) receptors in several forebrain white matter regions during fetal brain development. We have provided strong evidence that this phenomenon occurs in axons elongating through these white matter tracts, and we have explored in vitro how cannabinoid receptors influence L1 levels. Considering the role played by L1 in different events related to neural development, our observations support the occurrence of a physiological mechanism by which the cannabinoid system might regulate the process of axonal growth and guidance through regulating the synthesis and function of L1.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Gómez
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
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286
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Abstract
Presynaptic inhibitory or facilitatory autoreceptors are targets for the endogenous neurotransmitter of the respective neuron, and also for exogenous agonists, partial agonists and antagonists which can produce pharmacological actions through changes in transmitter release. In addition, presynaptic inhibitory or facilitatory heteroreceptors can also be acted upon by exogenous agonists, partial agonists or antagonists to induce changes in transmitter release with useful therapeutic effects. This article summarizes drugs that are known or likely to produce their therapeutic effects through presynaptic modulation of neurotransmitter release. Included are drugs acting on alpha and beta adrenoceptors, dopamine receptors, angiotensin, opioid, cannabinoid, and nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Also discussed are changes in presynaptic receptor mechanisms produced by drugs that inhibit transmitter re-uptake.
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287
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Alexander SPH, Kendall DA. The complications of promiscuity: endocannabinoid action and metabolism. Br J Pharmacol 2007; 152:602-23. [PMID: 17876303 PMCID: PMC2190010 DOI: 10.1038/sj.bjp.0707456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2007] [Revised: 08/15/2007] [Accepted: 08/16/2007] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
In this review, we present our understanding of the action and metabolism of endocannabinoids and related endogenous molecules. It is clear that the interactions between the multiple endocannabinoid-like molecules (ECLs) are highly complex, both at the level of signal transduction and metabolism. Thus, ECLs are a group of ligands active at 7-transmembrane and nuclear receptors, as well as transmitter-gated and ion channels. ECLs and their metabolites can converge on common endpoints (either metabolic or signalling) through contradictory or reinforcing pathways. We highlight the complexity of the endocannabinoid system, based on the promiscuous nature of ECLs and their metabolites, as well as the synthetic modulators of the endocannabinoid system.
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Affiliation(s)
- S P H Alexander
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Institute of Neuroscience, University of Nottingham Medical School, Nottingham NG7 7LP, UK.
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288
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Downer EJ, Gowran A, Campbell VA. A comparison of the apoptotic effect of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol in the neonatal and adult rat cerebral cortex. Brain Res 2007; 1175:39-47. [PMID: 17884022 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2007.07.076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2007] [Revised: 07/24/2007] [Accepted: 07/30/2007] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The maternal use of cannabis during pregnancy results in a number of cognitive deficits in the offspring that persist into adulthood. The endocannabinoid system has a role to play in neurodevelopmental processes such as neurogenesis, migration and synaptogenesis. However, exposure to phytocannabinoids, such as Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol, during gestation may interfere with these events to cause abnormal patterns of neuronal wiring and subsequent cognitive impairments. Aberrant cell death evoked by Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol may also contribute to cognitive deficits and in cultured neurones Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol induces apoptosis via the CB(1) cannabinoid receptor. In this study we report that Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (5-50 microM) activates the stress-activated protein kinase, c-jun N-terminal kinase, and the pro-apoptotic protease, caspase-3, in in vitro cerebral cortical slices obtained from the neonatal rat brain. The proclivity of Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol to impact on these pro-apoptotic signalling molecules was not observed in in vitro cortical slices obtained from the adult rat brain. In vivo, subcutaneous administration of Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (1-30 mg/kg) activated c-jun N-terminal kinase, caspase-3 and cathepsin-D, and induced DNA fragmentation in the cerebral cortex of neonatal rats. In contrast, in vivo administration of Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol to adult rats was not associated with the apoptotic pathway in the cerebral cortex. The data provide evidence which supports the hypothesis that the neonatal rat brain is more vulnerable to the neurotoxic influence of Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol, suggesting that the cognitive deficits that are observed in humans exposed to marijuana during gestation may be due, in part, to abnormal engagement of the apoptotic cascade during brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric J Downer
- Department of Physiology and Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
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289
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Lutz B. The Endocannabinoid System and Extinction Learning. Mol Neurobiol 2007; 36:92-101. [DOI: 10.1007/s12035-007-8004-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2007] [Accepted: 07/20/2007] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
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Aguado T, Romero E, Monory K, Palazuelos J, Sendtner M, Marsicano G, Lutz B, Guzmán M, Galve-Roperh I. The CB1 cannabinoid receptor mediates excitotoxicity-induced neural progenitor proliferation and neurogenesis. J Biol Chem 2007; 282:23892-8. [PMID: 17556369 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m700678200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 116] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Endocannabinoids are lipid signaling mediators that exert an important neuromodulatory role and confer neuroprotection in several types of brain injury. Excitotoxicity and stroke can induce neural progenitor (NP) proliferation and differentiation as an attempt of neuroregeneration after damage. Here we investigated the mechanism of hippocampal progenitor cell engagement upon excitotoxicity induced by kainic acid administration and the putative involvement of the CB1 cannabinoid receptor in this process. Adult NPs express kainate receptors that mediate proliferation and neurosphere generation in vitro via CB1 cannabinoid receptors. Similarly, in vivo studies showed that excitotoxicity-induced hippocampal NPs proliferation and neurogenesis are abrogated in CB1-deficient mice and in wild-type mice administered with the selective CB1 antagonist rimonabant (N-piperidino-5-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-4-methyl-3-pyrazolecarboxamide; SR141716). Kainate stimulation increased basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) expression in cultured NPs in a CB1-dependent manner as this response was prevented by rimonabant and mimicked by endocannabinoids. Likewise, in vivo analyses showed that increased hippocampal expression of bFGF, as well as of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and epidermal growth factor, occurs upon excitotoxicity and that CB1 receptor ablation prevents this induction. Moreover, excitotoxicity increased the number of CB1+ bFGF+ cells, and this up-regulation preceded NP proliferation. In summary, our results show the involvement of the CB1 cannabinoid receptor in NP proliferation and neurogenesis induced by excitotoxic injury and support a role for bFGF signaling in this process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tania Aguado
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I, School of Biology, and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Complutense University, 28040 Madrid, Spain
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291
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Chahl LA. TRP's: links to schizophrenia? Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2007; 1772:968-77. [PMID: 17587552 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2007.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2007] [Revised: 05/15/2007] [Accepted: 05/15/2007] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a chronic psychiatric disorder the cause of which is unknown. It is considered to be a neurodevelopmental disorder that results from an interaction of genetic and environmental factors. Direct evidence for links between schizophrenia and TRP channels is lacking. However, several aspects of the pathophysiology of the disorder point to a possible involvement of TRP channels. In this review evidence for links between TRP channels and schizophrenia with respect to neurodevelopment, dopaminergic and cannabinoid systems, thermoregulation, and sensory processes, is discussed. Investigation of these links holds the prospect of a new understanding of schizophrenia with resultant therapeutic advances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loris A Chahl
- Centre for Mental Health Studies and Schizophrenia Research Institute, James Fletcher Hospital, University of Newcastle, New South Wales, 2308 Australia.
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