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Paudel P, Ross S, Li XC. Molecular Targets of Cannabinoids Associated with Depression. Curr Med Chem 2021; 29:1827-1850. [PMID: 34165403 DOI: 10.2174/0929867328666210623144658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Revised: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Novel therapeutic strategies are needed to address depression, a major neurological disorder affecting hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Cannabinoids and their synthetic derivatives have demonstrated numerous neurological activities and may potentially be developed into new treatments for depression. This review highlights cannabinoid (CB) receptors, monoamine oxidase (MAO), N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor, and cholecystokinin (CCK) receptor as key molecular targets of cannabinoids that are associated with depression. The anti-depressant activity of cannabinoids and their binding modes with cannabinoid receptors are discussed, providing insights into rational design and discovery of new cannabinoids or cannabimimetic agents with improved druggable properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pradeep Paudel
- National Center for Natural Products Research, Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, The University of Mississippi, University, Mississippi 38677, United States
| | - Samir Ross
- National Center for Natural Products Research, Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, The University of Mississippi, University, Mississippi 38677, United States
| | - Xing-Cong Li
- National Center for Natural Products Research, Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, The University of Mississippi, University, Mississippi 38677, United States
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2
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Modulation of Noradrenergic and Serotonergic Systems by Cannabinoids: Electrophysiological, Neurochemical and Behavioral Evidence. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2021; 1297:111-132. [PMID: 33537940 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-61663-2_8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
The main noradrenergic and serotonergic nuclei in the central nervous system (CNS) are the locus coeruleus (LC) and the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN). These brain areas, located in the brainstem, play a pivotal role in the control of various functions and behaviors that are altered by cannabinoids (i.e., pain, arousal, mood, anxiety, or sleep-wake cycle). Anatomical, neurochemical, and functional data suggest that cannabinoids regulate both central noradrenergic and serotonergic neurotransmission. Thus, strong evidence has shown that the firing activity of LC and DRN monoamine neurons or the synthesis/release of noradrenaline (NA) and serotonin (5-HT) in the projection areas are all affected by cannabinoid administration. Herein, we propose that interaction between the endocannabinoid system and the noradrenergic-serotonergic systems could account for some of the anxiolytic, antidepressant, and antinociceptive effects of cannabinoids or the disruption of attention/sleep induced by these drugs.
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Poulia N, Delis F, Brakatselos C, Lekkas P, Kokras N, Dalla C, Antoniou K. Escalating low-dose Δ 9 -tetrahydrocannabinol exposure during adolescence induces differential behavioral and neurochemical effects in male and female adult rats. Eur J Neurosci 2019; 52:2681-2693. [PMID: 31626712 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2019] [Revised: 09/16/2019] [Accepted: 09/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Cannabinoid administration during adolescence affects various physiological processes, such as motor and affective response, cognitive-related functions and modulates neurotransmitter activity. Literature remains scant concerning the parallel examination of the effects of adolescent escalating low-dose Δ9 -tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9 -THC) on the behavioral and plasticity profile of adult rats in both sexes. Herein, we investigated the long-term behavioral, neurochemical and neurobiological effects of adolescent escalating low Δ9 -THC doses in adult male and female rats. In adult males, adolescent low-dose Δ9 -THC exposure led to increased spontaneous locomotor activity, impaired behavioral motor habituation and defective short-term spatial memory, paralleled with decreased BDNF protein levels in the prefrontal cortex. In this brain area, serotonergic activity was increased, as depicted by the increased serotonin turnover rate, while the opposite effect was observed in the hippocampus, a region where SERT levels were enhanced by Δ9 -THC, compared with vehicle. In adult females, adolescent Δ9 -THC treatment led to decreased spontaneous vertical activity and impaired short-term spatial memory, accompanied by increased BDNF protein levels in the prefrontal cortex. Present findings emphasize the key role of adolescent escalating low Δ9 -THC exposure in the long-term regulation of motor response, spatial-related cognitive functions and neuroplasticity indices in adulthood. In this framework, these changes could, at a translational level, contribute to clinical issues suggesting the development of psychopathology in a sex-differentiated manner following Δ9 -THC exposure during adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nafsika Poulia
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Foteini Delis
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Charalampos Brakatselos
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Panagiotis Lekkas
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Nikolaos Kokras
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.,First Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Christina Dalla
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Katerina Antoniou
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
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Poleszak E, Wośko S, Sławińska K, Wyska E, Szopa A, Doboszewska U, Wlaź P, Wlaź A, Dudka J, Szponar J, Serefko A. Influence of the CB1 cannabinoid receptors on the activity of the monoaminergic system in the behavioural tests in mice. Brain Res Bull 2019; 150:179-185. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2019.05.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2019] [Revised: 05/28/2019] [Accepted: 05/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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Cohen K, Weizman A, Weinstein A. Modulatory effects of cannabinoids on brain neurotransmission. Eur J Neurosci 2019; 50:2322-2345. [DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2018] [Revised: 03/06/2019] [Accepted: 03/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Koby Cohen
- Department of Behavioral Science Ariel University Science Park 40700 Ariel Israel
| | | | - Aviv Weinstein
- Department of Behavioral Science Ariel University Science Park 40700 Ariel Israel
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Cannabinoids Stimulate the TRP Channel-Dependent Release of Both Serotonin and Dopamine to Modulate Behavior in C. elegans. J Neurosci 2019; 39:4142-4152. [PMID: 30886012 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2371-18.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2018] [Revised: 02/04/2019] [Accepted: 03/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Cannabis sativa alters sensory perception and exhibits potential medicinal benefits. In mammals, cannabinoids activate two canonical receptors, CB1/CB2, as well additional receptors/ion channels whose overall contributions to cannabinoid signaling have yet to be fully assessed. In Caenorhabditis elegans, the endogenous cannabinoid receptor agonist, 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) activates a CB1 ortholog, NPR-19, to modulate behavior (Oakes et al., 2017). In addition, 2-AG stimulates the NPR-19 independent release of both serotonin (5-HT) and dopamine (DA) from subsets of monoaminergic neurons to modulate locomotory behaviors through a complex monoaminergic signaling pathway involving multiple serotonin and dopamine receptors. 2-AG also inhibits locomotion in remodeled monoamine receptor mutant animals designed to measure the acute release of either 5-HT or DA, confirming the direct effects of 2-AG on monoamine release. 2-AG-dependent locomotory inhibition requires the expression of transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) and TRPN-like channels in the serotonergic or dopaminergic neurons, respectively, and the acute pharmacological inhibition of the TRPV1-like channel abolishes both 2-AG-dependent 5-HT release and locomotory inhibition, suggesting the 2-AG may activate the channel directly. This study highlights the advantages of identifying and assessing both CB1/CB2-dependent and independent cannabinoid signaling pathways in a genetically tractable, mammalian predictive model, where cannabinoid signaling at the molecular/neuronal levels can be correlated directly with changes in behavior.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT This study is focused on assessing CB1/CB2-independent cannabinoid signaling in a genetically tractable, whole-animal model where cannabinoid signaling at the molecular/neuronal levels can be correlated with behavioral change. Caenorhabditis elegans contains a cannabinoid signaling system mediated by a canonical cannabinoid receptor, NPR-19, with orthology to human CB1/CB2 (Oakes et al., 2017). The present study has characterized an NPR-19-independent signaling pathway that involves the cannabinoid-dependent release of both serotonin and dopamine and the expression of distinct TRP-like channels on the monoaminergic neurons. Our work should be of interest to those studying the complexities of CB1/CB2-independent cannabinoid signaling, the role of TRP channels in the modulation of monoaminergic signaling, and the cannabinoid-dependent modulation of behavior.
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Mouro FM, Ribeiro JA, Sebastião AM, Dawson N. Chronic, intermittent treatment with a cannabinoid receptor agonist impairs recognition memory and brain network functional connectivity. J Neurochem 2018; 147:71-83. [PMID: 29989183 PMCID: PMC6220860 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.14549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2018] [Revised: 06/15/2018] [Accepted: 06/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Elucidating how cannabinoids affect brain function is instrumental for the development of therapeutic tools aiming to mitigate 'on target' side effects of cannabinoid-based therapies. A single treatment with the cannabinoid receptor agonist, WIN 55,212-2, disrupts recognition memory in mice. Here, we evaluate how prolonged, intermittent (30 days) exposure to WIN 55,212-2 (1 mg/kg) alters recognition memory and impacts on brain metabolism and functional connectivity. We show that chronic, intermittent treatment with WIN 55,212-2 disrupts recognition memory (Novel Object Recognition Test) without affecting locomotion and anxiety-like behaviour (Open Field and Elevated Plus Maze). Through 14 C-2-deoxyglucose functional brain imaging we show that chronic, intermittent WIN 55,212-2 exposure induces hypometabolism in the hippocampal dorsal subiculum and in the mediodorsal nucleus of the thalamus, two brain regions directly involved in recognition memory. In addition, WIN 55,212-2 exposure induces hypometabolism in the habenula with a contrasting hypermetabolism in the globus pallidus. Through the application of the Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR) algorithm to the brain imaging data, we observed that prolonged WIN 55,212-2 administration alters functional connectivity in brain networks that underlie recognition memory, including that between the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, the thalamus and prefrontal cortex, and between the hippocampus and the perirhinal cortex. In addition, our results support disturbed lateral habenula and serotonin system functional connectivity following WIN 55,212-2 exposure. Overall, this study provides new insight into the functional mechanisms underlying the impact of chronic cannabinoid exposure on memory and highlights the serotonin system as a particularly vulnerable target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco M. Mouro
- Faculdade de MedicinaInstituto de Farmacologia e NeurociênciasUniversidade de LisboaLisboaPortugal
- Faculdade de MedicinaInstituto de Medicina MolecularUniversidade de LisboaLisboaPortugal
| | - Joaquim A. Ribeiro
- Faculdade de MedicinaInstituto de Farmacologia e NeurociênciasUniversidade de LisboaLisboaPortugal
- Faculdade de MedicinaInstituto de Medicina MolecularUniversidade de LisboaLisboaPortugal
| | - Ana M. Sebastião
- Faculdade de MedicinaInstituto de Farmacologia e NeurociênciasUniversidade de LisboaLisboaPortugal
- Faculdade de MedicinaInstituto de Medicina MolecularUniversidade de LisboaLisboaPortugal
| | - Neil Dawson
- Division of Biomedical and Life SciencesUniversity of LancasterLancashireUK
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Regulation of noradrenergic and serotonergic systems by cannabinoids: relevance to cannabinoid-induced effects. Life Sci 2018; 192:115-127. [DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2017.11.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2017] [Revised: 10/29/2017] [Accepted: 11/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Khadrawy YA, Sawie HG, Abdel-Salam OM, Hosny EN. Cannabis exacerbates depressive symptoms in rat model induced by reserpine. Behav Brain Res 2017; 324:41-50. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2017.02.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2016] [Revised: 02/05/2017] [Accepted: 02/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
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McLaughlin PJ, Jagielo-Miller JE, Plyler ES, Schutte KK, Vemuri VK, Makriyannis A. Differential effects of cannabinoid CB1 inverse agonists and antagonists on impulsivity in male Sprague Dawley rats: identification of a possibly clinically relevant vulnerability involving the serotonin 5HT 1A receptor. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2017; 234:1029-1043. [PMID: 28144708 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-017-4548-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2016] [Accepted: 01/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Cannabinoid CB1 inverse agonists hold therapeutic promise as appetite suppressants but have produced suicidal behaviors among a small subpopulation in clinical trials. Anatomical and pharmacological evidence implicate the 5HT1A serotonin receptor in suicide in humans and impulsivity in humans and animals. OBJECTIVE The objective of the study is to assess whether 5HT1A blockade is necessary for CB1 ligands to produce impulsivity. METHODS Sprague Dawley rats were administered the CB1 inverse agonist AM 251, the CB1 antagonist AM 6527, or the peripherally restricted antagonist AM 6545, with or without pretreatment with the 5HT1A antagonist WAY 100,635 (WAY) on the paced fixed consecutive number (FCN) task, which measures choice to terminate a chain of responses prematurely. As FCN is sensitive to changes in time perception, which have been demonstrated with CB1 blockade, a novel variable consecutive number task with discriminative stimulus (VCN-S D ) was also performed and proposed to be less sensitive to changes in timing. RESULTS Pretreatment with WAY enabled mild but significant reductions in FCN accuracy for AM 251 and AM 6527. No effects were found for AM 6545. On the VCN-S D task, substantial impairments were found for the combination of WAY and AM 251. CONCLUSIONS AM 251, but not the antagonists AM 6527 or AM 6545, produced impulsivity only following systemic 5HT1A blockade. Although preliminary, the results may indicate that disrupted serotonin signaling produces a vulnerability to undesirable effects of CB1 inverse agonists, which is not evident in the general population. Furthermore, neutral CB1 antagonists do not produce this effect and therefore may have greater safety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter J McLaughlin
- Department of Psychology, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, 210 East Normal Street, Edinboro, PA, 16444, USA.
| | - Julia E Jagielo-Miller
- Department of Psychology, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, 210 East Normal Street, Edinboro, PA, 16444, USA.,Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40506, USA
| | - Emily S Plyler
- Department of Psychology, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, 210 East Normal Street, Edinboro, PA, 16444, USA.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH, 44242, USA
| | - Kerry K Schutte
- Department of Psychology, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, 210 East Normal Street, Edinboro, PA, 16444, USA.,Department of Counseling, Psychology, and Special Education, Duquesne University, 600 Forbes Avenue, G8B Canevin Hall, Pittsburgh, PA, 15282, USA
| | - V Kiran Vemuri
- Center for Drug Discovery, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Alexandros Makriyannis
- Center for Drug Discovery, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
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11
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Cannabinoids Activate Monoaminergic Signaling to Modulate Key C. elegans Behaviors. J Neurosci 2017; 37:2859-2869. [PMID: 28188220 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.3151-16.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2016] [Revised: 01/22/2017] [Accepted: 02/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Cannabis sativa, or marijuana, a popular recreational drug, alters sensory perception and exerts a range of potential medicinal benefits. The present study demonstrates that the endogenous cannabinoid receptor agonists 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) and anandamide (AEA) activate a canonical cannabinoid receptor in Caenorhabditis elegans and also modulate monoaminergic signaling at multiple levels. 2-AG or AEA inhibit nociception and feeding through a pathway requiring the cannabinoid-like receptor NPR-19. 2-AG or AEA activate NPR-19 directly and cannabinoid-dependent inhibition can be rescued in npr-19-null animals by the expression of a human cannabinoid receptor, CB1, highlighting the orthology of the receptors. Cannabinoids also modulate nociception and locomotion through an NPR-19-independent pathway requiring an α2A-adrenergic-like octopamine (OA) receptor, OCTR-1, and a 5-HT1A-like serotonin (5-HT) receptor, SER-4, that involves a complex interaction among cannabinoid, octopaminergic, and serotonergic signaling. 2-AG activates OCTR-1 directly. In contrast, 2-AG does not activate SER-4 directly, but appears to enhance SER-4-dependent serotonergic signaling by increasing endogenous 5-HT. This study defines a conserved cannabinoid signaling system in C. elegans, demonstrates the cannabinoid-dependent activation of monoaminergic signaling, and highlights the advantages of studying cannabinoid signaling in a genetically tractable whole-animal model.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTCannabis sativa, or marijuana, causes euphoria and exerts a wide range of medicinal benefits. For years, cannabinoids have been studied at the cellular level using tissue explants with conflicting results. To better understand cannabinoid signaling, we have used the Caenorhabditis elegans model to examine the effects of cannabinoids on behavior. The present study demonstrates that mammalian cannabinoid receptor ligands activate a conserved cannabinoid signaling system in C. elegans and also modulate monoaminergic signaling, potentially affecting an array of disorders, including anxiety and depression. This study highlights the potential role of cannabinoids in modulating monoaminergic signaling and the advantages of studying cannabinoid signaling in a genetically tractable, whole-animal model.
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12
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Effect of nucleus accumbens shell 5-HT4 receptors on the impairment of ACPA-induced emotional memory consolidation in male Wistar rats. Behav Pharmacol 2016; 27:12-21. [DOI: 10.1097/fbp.0000000000000174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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Espejo-Porras F, Fernández-Ruiz J, Pertwee RG, Mechoulam R, García C. Motor effects of the non-psychotropic phytocannabinoid cannabidiol that are mediated by 5-HT1A receptors. Neuropharmacology 2013; 75:155-63. [PMID: 23924692 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2013.07.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2013] [Revised: 07/23/2013] [Accepted: 07/25/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
The broad presence of CB1 receptors in the basal ganglia, mainly in GABA- or glutamate-containing neurons, as well as the presence of TRPV1 receptors in dopaminergic neurons and the identification of CB2 receptors in some neuronal subpopulations within the basal ganglia, explain the powerful motor effects exerted by those cannabinoids that can activate/block these receptors. By contrast, cannabidiol (CBD), a phytocannabinoid with a broad therapeutic profile, is generally presented as an example of a cannabinoid compound with no motor effects due to its poor affinity for the CB1 and the CB2 receptor, despite its activity at the TRPV1 receptor. However, recent evidence suggests that CBD may interact with the serotonin 5-HT1A receptor to produce some of its beneficial effects. This may enable CBD to directly influence motor activity through the well-demonstrated role of serotonergic transmission in the basal ganglia. We have investigated this issue in rats using three different pharmacological and neurochemical approaches. First, we compared the motor effects of various i.p. doses of CBD with the selective 5-HT1A receptor agonist, 8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino) tetralin (8-OH-DPAT; i.p.). Second, we investigated whether the motor effects of CBD are sensitive to 5-HT1A receptor blockade in comparison with CB1 receptor antagonism. Finally, we investigated whether CBD was able to potentiate the effect of a sub-effective dose of 8-OH-DPAT. Our results demonstrated that: (i) only high doses of CBD (>10 mg/kg) altered motor behavior measured in a computer-aided actimeter; (ii) these alterations were restricted to vertical activity (rearing) with only modest changes in other parameters; (iii) similar effects were produced by 8-OH-DPAT (1 mg/kg), although this agonist affected exclusively vertical activity, with no effects on other motor parameters, and it showed always more potency than CBD; (iv) the effects of 8-OH-DPAT (1 mg/kg) and CBD (20 mg/kg) on vertical activity were reversed by the 5-HT1A receptor antagonist WAY-100,635 (0.5 mg/kg; i.p.); (v) the effects of CBD (20 mg/kg) on vertical activity were not reversed by the CB1 receptor antagonist rimonabant (0.1 mg/kg; i.p.); (vi) the effect of 8-OH-DPAT on vertical activity was associated with an increase in serotonin content in the basal ganglia, a neurochemical change not produced by CBD (20 mg/kg); and (vii) CBD at a dose of 20 mg/kg was able to enhance motor effects of a sub-effective dose of 8-OH-DPAT (0.1 mg/kg), producing the expected changes in serotonergic transmission in the basal ganglia. Collectively, these results suggest that CBD may influence motor activity, in particular vertical activity, and that this effect seems to be dependent on its ability to target the 5-HT1A receptor, a mechanism of action that has been proposed to account for its anti-emetic, anxiolytic and antidepressant effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Espejo-Porras
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Neuroquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Spain; Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Spain
| | - Javier Fernández-Ruiz
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Neuroquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Spain; Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Spain.
| | - Roger G Pertwee
- School of Medical Sciences, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Raphael Mechoulam
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Natural Products, Medical Faculty, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Concepción García
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Neuroquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Spain; Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Spain.
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Onesti E, Gabriele M, Cambieri C, Ceccanti M, Raccah R, Di Stefano G, Biasiotta A, Truini A, Zangen A, Inghilleri M. H-coil repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for pain relief in patients with diabetic neuropathy. Eur J Pain 2013; 17:1347-56. [PMID: 23629867 DOI: 10.1002/j.1532-2149.2013.00320.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/01/2013] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Painful neuropathy is associated with plasticity changes in the nervous system. Standard repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a non-invasive technique used to study changes in cortical excitability and to inhibit pain perception. Deep rTMS is a newer development that allows direct activation of deeper neuronal populations, by a unique coil design termed the H-coil. This study was designed to assess whether deep rTMS applied over the motor cortical lower-limb representation relieves pain in patients with diabetic neuropathy. METHODS Patients were randomly assigned to receive daily real or sham H-coil rTMS for 5 consecutive days. After a 5-week washout period, they crossed over to the alternative treatment for additional 5 days (according to a crossover study design). Outcome measures were changes in the visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain and in area and threshold of RIII nociceptive flexion reflex (RIII reflex). RESULTS Of the 25 patients randomized, 23 completed the study. After real rTMS, the VAS scores decreased significantly (p=0.01), and so did RIII reflex area (p<0.01), while no significant effects in these variables were induced by the sham rTMS treatment. The rTMS-induced changes in the outcome measures disappeared about 3 weeks after stimulation. All patients tolerated stimulation well. CONCLUSIONS Deep H-coil rTMS provides pain relief in patients with diabetic neuropathy. This innovative technique can induce a therapeutic effect on brain areas that otherwise remain difficult to target. rTMS may produce its analgesic effects, inducing motor cortex plasticity and activating descending inhibitory pain control systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Onesti
- Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, University of Rome 'La Sapienza', Italy
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Wright MJ, Vandewater SA, Parsons LH, Taffe MA. Δ(9)Tetrahydrocannabinol impairs reversal learning but not extra-dimensional shifts in rhesus macaques. Neuroscience 2013; 235:51-8. [PMID: 23333671 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2013.01.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2012] [Revised: 12/19/2012] [Accepted: 01/05/2013] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Expansion of medical marijuana use in the US and the recently successful decriminalization of recreational marijuana in two States elevates interest in the specific cognitive effects of Δ(9)tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ(9)THC), the major psychoactive constituent of marijuana. Controlled laboratory studies in nonhuman primates provide mixed evidence for specific effects of Δ(9)THC in learning and memory tasks, with a suggestion that frontal-mediated tasks may be the most sensitive. In this study, adult male rhesus monkeys were trained on tasks which assess reversal learning, extradimensional attentional shift learning and spatial delayed-response. Subjects were challenged with 0.1-0.5mg/kg Δ(9)THC, i.m., in randomized order and evaluated on the behavioral measures. Peak plasma levels of Δ(9)THC were observed 30min after 0.2mg/kg (69±29ng/ml) and 60min after 0.5mg/kg (121±23ng/ml) was administered and behavioral effects on a bimanual motor task persisted for up to 2h after injection. An increase in errors-to-criterion (ETC) associated with reversal learning was further increased by Δ(9)THC in a dose-dependent manner. The increase in ETC associated with extradimensional shifts was not affected by Δ(9)THC. Spatial delayed-response performance was impaired by Δ(9)THC in a retention-interval-dependent manner. Overall the pattern of results suggests a more profound effect of Δ(9)THC on tasks mediated by orbitofrontal (reversal learning) versus dorsolateral (extradimensional shifts) prefrontal mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- M J Wright
- Committee on the Neurobiology of Addictive Disorders, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
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Fišar Z. Cannabinoids and monoamine neurotransmission with focus on monoamine oxidase. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2012; 38:68-77. [PMID: 22234284 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2011.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2011] [Revised: 12/11/2011] [Accepted: 12/21/2011] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Progress in understanding the mechanisms of action of cannabinoids was made after discovery of cannabinoid receptors and finding their endogenous ligands. New findings are obtained using both endogenous cannabinoids and plant or synthetic cannabinoids. Activation of cannabinoid receptors on synaptic terminals results in regulation of ion channels, neurotransmitter release and synaptic plasticity. Neuromodulation of synapses by cannabinoids is proving to have a wide range of functional effects, making them potential targets as medical preparations in a variety of illnesses, including some neurodegenerative and mental disorders. Brain monoamines are involved in many of the same processes affected by neuropsychiatric disorders and by different psychotropic drugs, including cannabinoids. Basic information is summarized in the paper about mechanisms of action of cannabinoids on monoaminergic systems, with a view to inhibition of monoamine oxidase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zdeněk Fišar
- Department of Psychiatry, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague and General University Hospital in Prague, Ke Karlovu 11, 120 00 Prague 2, Czech Republic.
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Conte A, Bettolo CM, Onesti E, Frasca V, Iacovelli E, Gilio F, Giacomelli E, Gabriele M, Aragona M, Tomassini V, Pantano P, Pozzilli C, Inghilleri M. Cannabinoid-induced effects on the nociceptive system: A neurophysiological study in patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis. Eur J Pain 2012; 13:472-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpain.2008.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2008] [Revised: 05/22/2008] [Accepted: 05/22/2008] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Solowij N, Jones KA, Rozman ME, Davis SM, Ciarrochi J, Heaven PCL, Pesa N, Lubman DI, Yücel M. Reflection impulsivity in adolescent cannabis users: a comparison with alcohol-using and non-substance-using adolescents. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2012; 219:575-86. [PMID: 21938415 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-011-2486-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2011] [Accepted: 08/31/2011] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Reflection impulsivity-a failure to gather and evaluate information before making a decision-is a critical component of risk-taking and substance use behaviours, which are highly prevalent during adolescence. OBJECTIVES AND METHODS The Information Sampling Test was used to assess reflection impulsivity in 175 adolescents (mean age 18.3, range 16.5-20; 55% female)-48 cannabis users (2.3 years use, 10.8 days/month), 65 alcohol users, and 62 non-substance-using controls-recruited from a longitudinal cohort and from the general community and matched for education and IQ. Cannabis and alcohol users were matched on levels of alcohol consumption. RESULTS Cannabis users sampled to the lowest degree of certainty before making a decision on the task. Group differences remained significant after controlling for relevant substance use and clinical confounds (e.g., anxiety, depressive symptoms, alcohol, and ecstasy use). Poor performance on multiple IST indices was associated with an earlier age of onset of regular cannabis use and greater duration of exposure to cannabis, after controlling for recent use. Alcohol users did not differ from controls on any IST measure. CONCLUSIONS Exposure to cannabis during adolescence is associated with increased risky and impulsive decision making, with users adopting strategies with higher levels of uncertainty and inefficient utilisation of information. The young cannabis users did show sensitivity to losses, suggesting that greater impulsivity early in their drug using career is more evident when there is a lack of negative consequences. This provides a window of opportunity for intervention before the onset of cannabis dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia Solowij
- School of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia.
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Kleijn J, Cremers TI, Hofland CM, Westerink BH. CB-1 receptors modulate the effect of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, citalopram on extracellular serotonin levels in the rat prefrontal cortex. Neurosci Res 2011; 70:334-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2011.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2010] [Revised: 03/08/2011] [Accepted: 03/09/2011] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Cannabidiol inhibits the hyperphagia induced by cannabinoid-1 or serotonin-1A receptor agonists. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2011; 98:268-72. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2011.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2010] [Revised: 12/01/2010] [Accepted: 01/08/2011] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Bambico FR, Cassano T, Dominguez-Lopez S, Katz N, Walker CD, Piomelli D, Gobbi G. Genetic deletion of fatty acid amide hydrolase alters emotional behavior and serotonergic transmission in the dorsal raphe, prefrontal cortex, and hippocampus. Neuropsychopharmacology 2010; 35:2083-100. [PMID: 20571484 PMCID: PMC3055302 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2010.80] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Pharmacological blockade of the anandamide-degrading enzyme, fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), produces CB(1) receptor (CB(1)R)-mediated analgesic, anxiolytic-like and antidepressant-like effects in murids. Using behavioral and electrophysiological approaches, we have characterized the emotional phenotype and serotonergic (5-HT) activity of mice lacking the FAAH gene in comparison to their wild type counterparts, and their response to a challenge of the CB(1)R antagonist, rimonabant. FAAH null-mutant (FAAH(-/-)) mice exhibited reduced immobility in the forced swim and tail suspension tests, predictive of antidepressant activity, which was attenuated by rimonabant. FAAH(-/-) mice showed an increase in the duration of open arm visits in the elevated plus maze, and a decrease in thigmotaxis and an increase in exploratory rearing displayed in the open field, indicating anxiolytic-like effects that were reversed by rimonabant. Rimonabant also prolonged the initiation of feeding in the novelty-suppressed feeding test. Electrophysiological recordings revealed a marked 34.68% increase in dorsal raphe 5-HT neural firing that was reversed by rimonabant in a subset of neurons exhibiting high firing rates (33.15% mean decrease). The response of the prefrontocortical pyramidal cells to the 5-HT(2A/2C) agonist (+/-)-1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-2-aminopropane ((+/-)-DOI) revealed desensitized 5-HT(2A/2C) receptors, likely linked to the observed anxiolytic-like behaviors. The hippocampal pyramidal response to the 5-HT(1A) antagonist, WAY-100635, indicates enhanced tonus on the hippocampal 5-HT(1A) heteroreceptors, a hallmark of antidepressant-like action. Together, these results suggest that FAAH genetic deletion enhances anxiolytic-like and antidepressant-like effects, paralleled by altered 5-HT transmission and postsynaptic 5-HT(1A) and 5-HT(2A/2C) receptor function.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tommaso Cassano
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
| | - Sergio Dominguez-Lopez
- Neurobiological Psychiatry Unit, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Noam Katz
- Neurobiological Psychiatry Unit, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Claire Dominique Walker
- Neuroscience and Mood, Anxiety and Impulsivity Disorders-Related Research Division, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Daniele Piomelli
- Department of Pharmacology and Center for Drug Discovery, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Gabriella Gobbi
- Neurobiological Psychiatry Unit, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada,Department of Psychiatry Research and Training Building, McGill University, Neurobiological Psychiatry Unit, 1033 Pine Avenue West, Montréal, Québec, Canada H3A 1A1, Tel: +1 514 398 1290, Fax: +1 514 398 4866, E-mail:
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The Potential Role of Cannabinoids in Modulating Serotonergic Signaling by Their Influence on Tryptophan Metabolism. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2010; 3:2647-2660. [PMID: 27713369 PMCID: PMC4033942 DOI: 10.3390/ph3082647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2010] [Revised: 08/06/2010] [Accepted: 08/11/2010] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Phytocannabinoids present in Cannabis plants are well known to exert potent anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects. Previously, we have demonstrated that the psychoactive D9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and the non-psychotropic cannabidiol (CBD) modulate mitogen-induced Th1-type immune responses in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). The suppressive effect of both cannabinoids on mitogen-induced tryptophan degradation mediated by indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), suggests an additional mechanism by which antidepressive effects of cannabinoids might be linked to the serotonergic system. Here, we will review the role of tryptophan metabolism in the course of cell mediated immune responses and the relevance of cannabinoids in serotonergic signaling. We conclude that in particular the non-psychotropic CBD might be useful for the treatment of mood disorders in patients with inflammatory diseases, since this cannabinoid seems to be safe and its effects on activation-induced tryptophan degradation by CBD were more potent as compared to THC.
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Inhibition of monoamine oxidase activity by cannabinoids. Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol 2010; 381:563-72. [PMID: 20401651 DOI: 10.1007/s00210-010-0517-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2010] [Accepted: 03/30/2010] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Brain monoamines are involved in many of the same processes affected by neuropsychiatric disorders and psychotropic drugs, including cannabinoids. This study investigated in vitro effects of cannabinoids on the activity of monoamine oxidase (MAO), the enzyme responsible for metabolism of monoamine neurotransmitters and affecting brain development and function. The effects of the phytocannabinoid Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the endocannabinoid anandamide (N-arachidonoylethanolamide [AEA]), and the synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonist WIN 55,212-2 (WIN) on the activity of MAO were measured in a crude mitochondrial fraction isolated from pig brain cortex. Monoamine oxidase activity was inhibited by the cannabinoids; however, higher half maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC(50)) of cannabinoids were required compared to the known MAO inhibitor iproniazid. The IC(50) was 24.7 micromol/l for THC, 751 micromol/l for AEA, and 17.9 micromol/l for WIN when serotonin was used as substrate (MAO-A), and 22.6 micromol/l for THC, 1,668 micromol/l for AEA, and 21.2 micromol/l for WIN when phenylethylamine was used as substrate (MAO-B). The inhibition of MAOs by THC was noncompetitive. N-Arachidonoylethanolamide was a competitive inhibitor of MAO-A and a noncompetitive inhibitor of MAO-B. WIN was a noncompetitive inhibitor of MAO-A and an uncompetitive inhibitor of MAO-B. Monoamine oxidase activity is affected by cannabinoids at relatively high drug concentrations, and this effect is inhibitory. Decrease of MAO activity may play a role in some effects of cannabinoids on serotonergic, noradrenergic, and dopaminergic neurotransmission.
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Bambico FR, Nguyen NT, Katz N, Gobbi G. Chronic exposure to cannabinoids during adolescence but not during adulthood impairs emotional behaviour and monoaminergic neurotransmission. Neurobiol Dis 2009; 37:641-55. [PMID: 19969082 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2009.11.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 118] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2009] [Revised: 11/21/2009] [Accepted: 11/26/2009] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The pathophysiological neural mechanism underlying the depressogenic and anxiogenic effects of chronic adolescent cannabinoid use may be linked to perturbations in monoaminergic neurotransmission. We tested this hypothesis by administering the CB(1) receptor agonist WIN55,212-2, once daily for 20 days to adolescent and adult rats, subsequently subjecting them to tests for emotional reactivity paralleled by the in vivo extracellular recordings of serotonergic and noradrenergic neurons. Chronic adolescent exposure but not adult exposure to low (0.2 mg/kg) and high (1.0 mg/kg) doses led to depression-like behaviour in the forced swim and sucrose preference test, while the high dose also induced anxiety-like consequences in the novelty-suppressed feeding test. Electrophysiological recordings revealed both doses to have attenuated serotonergic activity, while the high dose also led to a hyperactivity of noradrenergic neurons only after adolescent exposure. These suggest that long-term exposure to cannabinoids during adolescence induces anxiety-like and depression-like behaviours in adulthood and that this may be instigated by serotonergic hypoactivity and noradrenergic hyperactivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francis Rodriguez Bambico
- Neurobiological Psychiatry Unit, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, 1033 Pine Avenue West, Montreal, Canada H3A1A1
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Mendiguren A, Pineda J. Effect of the CB(1) receptor antagonists rimonabant and AM251 on the firing rate of dorsal raphe nucleus neurons in rat brain slices. Br J Pharmacol 2009; 158:1579-87. [PMID: 19845674 DOI: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.2009.00434.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Previous studies have suggested a regulation of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) neurons by the endocannabinoid system. The aim of our work was to examine the effect of two CB(1) receptor antagonists, SR141716A (rimonabant, Sanofi-Synthélabo Recherche, Montpellier, France) and N-(piperidin-1-yl)-5-(4-iodophenyl)-1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-4-methyl-1H-pyrazole-3-carboxamide (AM251, Tocris Cookson, Bristol, UK), on the firing rate of dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) neurons. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Single-unit extracellular recordings were performed to study the effect of CB(1) receptor antagonists in slices of the DRN from rat brain. KEY RESULTS Rimonabant (1 microM) and AM251 (1 microM) decreased the firing rate of about 50% of all the recorded DRN 5-HT cells. The GABA(A)receptor antagonist picrotoxin (20 microM) (Sigma) prevented and also reversed the inhibitory effect of rimonabant (1 microM) and AM251 (1 microM), suggesting that CB(1) receptors regulate 5-HT neurons through the GABAergic system. However, the CB(1)/CB(2) receptor agonist R-(+)-[2,3-dihydro-5-methyl-3-[(morpholinyl)-methyl]pyrrolol[1,2,3-de]-1,4-benzoxazinyl]-(1-naphthalenyl) methanone mesylate salt (10 microM) (WIN55212-2, Sigma, St. Louis, MO, USA) failed to change the firing activity of non-5-HT (presumably GABAergic) neurons in the DRN. The endocannabinoid N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-5Z,8Z,11Z,14Z-eicosatetraenamide (anandamide, Tocris Cookson) (10 microM) also inhibited the firing activity of a number of 5-HT neurons, but this inhibition was not blocked by rimonabant (1 microM) or AM251 (1 microM), and the stable analogue R-(+) N-(2-hydroxy-1methylethyl)-5Z,8Z,11Z,14Z-eicosatetraenamide (methanandamide, Tocris Cookson) (10 microM) did not mimic this effect. The selective CB(1) receptor agonist arachidonoyl-2-chloroethylamide (ACEA) (1 microM) only slightly increased the firing rate of DRN 5-HT cells. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS These results suggest a tonic/constitutive regulation of DRN 5-HT neurons by the endocannabinoid system, which may occur through a CB(1) receptor-mediated inhibition of the GABAergic system. The inhibitory effect of anandamide may be mediated through a CB(1) receptor-independent mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aitziber Mendiguren
- Department of Pharmacology, University of the Basque Country, Leioa, Bizkaia, Spain
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Jenny M, Santer E, Pirich E, Schennach H, Fuchs D. Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol modulate mitogen-induced tryptophan degradation and neopterin formation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in vitro. J Neuroimmunol 2009; 207:75-82. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2008.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2008] [Revised: 11/18/2008] [Accepted: 12/09/2008] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
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Abstract
Cannabinoid receptors and their endogenous ligands are located throughout the limbic, or "emotional," brain, where they modulate synaptic neurotransmission. Converging preclinical and clinical data suggest a role for endogenous cannabinoid signaling in the modulation of anxiety and depression. Augmentation of endocannabinoid signaling (ECS) has anxiolytic effects, whereas blockade or genetic deletion of CB₁ receptors has anxiogenic properties. Augmentation of ECS also appears to have anti-depressant actions, and in some assays blockade and genetic deletion of CB₁ receptors produces depressive phenotypes. These data provide evidence that ECS serves in an anxiolytic, and possibly anti-depressant, role. These data suggest novel approaches to treatment of affective disorders which could include enhancement of endogenous cannabinoid signaling, and warrant cautious use of CB₁ receptor antagonists in patients with pre-existing affective disorders.
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Moranta D, Esteban S, García-Sevilla JA. Chronic treatment and withdrawal of the cannabinoid agonist WIN 55,212-2 modulate the sensitivity of presynaptic receptors involved in the regulation of monoamine syntheses in rat brain. Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol 2008; 379:61-72. [PMID: 18709357 DOI: 10.1007/s00210-008-0337-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2008] [Accepted: 07/07/2008] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Brain monoamines are involved in many neurochemical and behavioral effects of cannabinoids, but little is known on the regulation of noradrenaline, dopamine, and serotonin (5-HT) synthesis in cannabinoid addiction. This study investigated in rat brain the chronic effects of the potent cannabinoid agonist WIN 55,212-2 and of rimonabant-precipitated withdrawal, as well as the sensitivity of synthesis-modulating inhibitory receptors, on the accumulation of L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) and 5-HTP after decarboxylase inhibition. Acute WIN (8 mg/kg; 1 h) increased DOPA synthesis in cortex (52%), hippocampus (51%), and cerebellum (56%) and decreased DOPA accumulation in striatum (31%). Acute WIN also decreased the synthesis of 5-HTP in all brain regions (40-53%). Chronic WIN (2-8 mg/kg; 5 days) and/or antagonist-precipitated withdrawal induced tolerance to the acute effects of WIN on the accumulation of DOPA (cortex and striatum) and 5-HTP (all brain regions). The inhibitory effect of clonidine (alpha2-agonist; 1 mg/kg) on the accumulation of DOPA (15-41%) and 5-HTP (22-41%) was markedly decreased or abolished after chronic WIN and precipitated withdrawal, mainly in noradrenergic and serotonergic brain regions, which indicated desensitization of alpha2-autoreceptors and alpha2-heteroreceptors regulating the synthesis of noradrenaline and 5-HT. In WIN-dependent rats (chronic and withdrawal states), the effect of a low dose of (+/-)-8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)-tetralin (5-HT1A agonist; 0.1 mg/kg) on the accumulation of precursor amino acids was markedly potentiated in cerebellum and striatum, indicating the induction of supersensitivity of 5-HT1A-autoreceptors and 5-HT1A-heteroreceptors that regulate the synthesis of 5-HT, noradrenaline, and dopamine in these brain regions. These chronic adaptations in presynaptic receptor function could play a relevant role in cannabinoid addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Moranta
- Laboratori de Neurofarmacologia, Institut Universitari d'Investigació en Ciències de la Salut (IUNICS), Universitat de les Illes Balears, Cra. Valldemossa km 7.5, 07122, Palma de Mallorca, Spain
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Zarate J, Churruca I, Echevarría E, Casis L, López de Jesús M, Saenz del Burgo L, Sallés J. Immunohistochemical localization of CB1 cannabinoid receptors in frontal cortex and related limbic areas in obese Zucker rats: effects of chronic fluoxetine treatment. Brain Res 2008; 1236:57-72. [PMID: 18722357 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2008.07.100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2008] [Revised: 07/17/2008] [Accepted: 07/18/2008] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
In the present study, we report on the application of two specific polyclonal antibodies to different intracellular domains of the CB1 cannabinoid receptor to define the expression of the neural CB1 cannabinoid receptor at the histochemical level in frontal cortex and related limbic areas of the obese Zucker rats. Higher levels of CB1 receptor expression in frontal, cingulated and piriform cortex, without differences in temporal, parietal and occipital cortex, were observed in obese Zucker rats, with respect to their lean littermates. CB1 phosphorylated receptor (CB1-P) levels were also higher in frontal, temporal, parietal and occipital cortex in obese rats with respect to lean controls. Potential involvement of brain cortical CB1 cannabinoid receptors in the long-term effects of fluoxetine was studied. Experimental animals were administered with fluoxetine (10 mg/kg, i.p.) daily for 3 weeks, whereas the control group was given 0.9% NaCl solution. In obese Zucker rats, a significant decrease in CB1 receptor levels, measured by western blot, was observed in brain cortex after fluoxetine treatment. Immunostaining for CB1 receptor expression was also carried out, showing a significant decrease in the density of neural cells positive for CB1 receptor in frontal, cingulate and piriform cortex, without changes in parietal, temporal and occipital regions. Regional prosencephalic immunostaining for CB1-P receptor level showed a significant decrease in the density of stained neural cells in frontal, temporal and parietal cortex, without changes in cingulated, piriform and occipital cortex. These results suggest the involvement of endocannabinoid system in the chronic effects of fluoxetine, especially in the frontal cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Zarate
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country, Paseo de la Universidad 7, 01006 Vitoria, Spain
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Rubio M, Fernández-Ruiz J, de Miguel R, Maestro B, Michael Walker J, Ramos JA. CB1 receptor blockade reduces the anxiogenic-like response and ameliorates the neurochemical imbalances associated with alcohol withdrawal in rats. Neuropharmacology 2008; 54:976-88. [PMID: 18371990 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2008.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2007] [Revised: 02/05/2008] [Accepted: 02/06/2008] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
There is strong evidence that blocking CB1 receptors may reduce alcohol intake in alcohol-dependent individuals. However, there is still limited evidence that CB1 receptor antagonists may also be beneficial in the attenuation of alcohol withdrawal syndrome, even though alcohol withdrawal appears to be milder in CB1 receptor knockout mice. Here we have examined whether the CB1 receptor antagonist rimonabant (SR141716) can alleviate the behavioral symptoms and revert the neurochemical imbalance elicited by a 3-h interruption of chronic alcohol exposure (7.2% in the drinking water for 10 days) in male Wistar rats. Administration of rimonabant attenuated the strong anxiogenic traits of the animals that developed when regular alcohol intake was interrupted. This may reflect the correction of the GABA/glutamate imbalances developed by the animals that received rimonabant in various brain regions involved in emotional (e.g. prefrontal cortex) and motor (e.g. caudate-putamen and globus pallidus) responses. In addition, rimonabant also affected the dopamine deficits generated by alcohol abstinence in the amygdala and ventral-tegmental area, albeit to a lesser extent. However, this antagonist was unable to correct the impairment caused by alcohol abstinence in serotonin and neuropeptide Y. The endocannabinoid activity in the brain of alcohol-abstinent rats indicated that the behavioral and neurochemical improvements caused by rimonabant were not related to the attenuation of a possible increase in this activity generated by alcohol withdrawal. Conversely, the density of CB1 receptors was reduced in alcohol-abstinent animals (e.g. globus pallidus, substantia nigra), as were the levels of endocannabinoids and related N-acylethanolamines (e.g. amygdala, caudate-putamen). Thus, rimonabant possibly enhances an endogenous response generated by interrupting the regular use of alcohol. In summary, rimonabant might attenuate withdrawal symptoms associated with alcohol abstinence, an effect that was presumably due to the normalization of GABA and glutamate, and to a lesser extent, dopamine transmission in emotion- and motor-related areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Rubio
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular and Centro de Investigación biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Complutense, 28040-Madrid, Spain
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Hill MN, Barr AM, Ho WSV, Carrier EJ, Gorzalka BB, Hillard CJ. Electroconvulsive shock treatment differentially modulates cortical and subcortical endocannabinoid activity. J Neurochem 2007; 103:47-56. [PMID: 17561935 DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2007.04688.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Previous studies indicate that the endocannabinoid system is a potential target for the treatment of depression. To further examine this question we assessed the effects of electroconvulsive shock (ECS) treatment, both a single session and 10 daily sessions, on endocannabinoid content, CB(1) receptor binding parameters and CB(1) receptor-mediated [(35)S]GTPgammaS binding in the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, hypothalamus and amygdala. A single ECS session resulted in a general reduction in the binding affinity of the CB(1) receptor in all brain regions examined, as well as reductions in N-arachidonylethanolamine (anandamide) content in the prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus, reduced hydrolysis of anandamide by fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) in the prefrontal cortex and an increase in the binding site density of the CB(1) receptor in the amygdala. Following 10 ECS sessions, all these effects subsided except for the reductions in anandamide content in the prefrontal cortex, which increased in magnitude, as well as the reductions in FAAH activity in the prefrontal cortex. Additionally, repeated ECS treatment resulted in a significant reduction in the binding site density of the CB(1) receptor in the prefrontal cortex, but did not alter CB(1) receptor-mediated [(35)S]GTPgammaS binding. Repeated ECS treatment also significantly enhanced the sensitivity of CB(1) receptor-mediated [(35)S]GTPgammaS binding in the amygdala. Collectively, these data demonstrate that ECS treatment results in a down-regulation of cortical and an up-regulation of subcortical endocannabinoid activity, illustrating the possibility that the role of the endocannabinoid system in affective illness may be both complex and regionally specific.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew N Hill
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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Abstract
Serotonin is involved in many of the same processes affected by cannabinoids; therefore, we investigated in vitro and in vivo effects of these drugs on the function of serotonin transporter. The effect of Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta(9)-THC), endocannabinoid anandamide and synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonist WIN 55,212-2 on platelet serotonin uptake and membrane microviscosity was examined in 19 marijuana smokers and 20 controls. (1) Serotonin uptake was inhibited at higher doses of Delta(9)-THC (IC(50) = 139 micromol/l), anandamide (IC(50) = 201 micromol/l) or WIN 55,212-2 (IC(50) = 17.4 micromol/l); the inhibition was found non-competitive. Delta(9)-THC, anandamide and WIN 55,212-2 produced different effects on the membrane microviscosity. (2) Maximal velocity of platelet serotonin uptake was significantly increased in a group of chronic marijuana smokers suffering impairment of cognitive functions when compared with controls. Opposite effect of marijuana smoking on the serotonin uptake efficiency was observed in males beside females. In summary, this study provides evidence that (1) Activity of serotonin transporter is acutely affected by cannabinoids at relatively high drug concentrations; this effect is indirect and can be partially accounted for the changes in the membrane microviscosity. (2) Increase of maximal velocity of the serotonin uptake could be understood as adaptation change in the serotonergic system induced by chronic cannabis use. A hypothesis was supported that lowered serotonin uptake may reflect a gender-related differences in effects of psychoactive cannabinoids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Velenovská
- Department of Psychiatry, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
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Herrmann S, Stieber J, Ludwig A. Pathophysiology of HCN channels. Pflugers Arch 2007; 454:517-22. [PMID: 17549513 DOI: 10.1007/s00424-007-0224-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2007] [Accepted: 01/29/2007] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Hyperpolarization-activated cation currents termed I (f/h) are observed in many neurons and cardiac cells. Four genes (HCN1-4) encode the channels underlying these currents. New insights into the pathophysiological significance of HCN channels have been gained recently from analyses of mice engineered to be deficient in HCN genes. Lack of individual subunits results in markedly different phenotypes. Disruption of HCN1 impairs motor learning but enhances spatial learning and memory. Deletion of HCN2 results in absence epilepsy, ataxia, and sinus node dysfunction. Mice lacking HCN4 die during embryonic development and develop no sinoatrial node-like action potentials. In the present review, we summarize the physiology and pathophysiology of HCN channel family members based primarily on information from the transgenic mouse models and on data from human patients carrying defects in HCN4 channels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Herrmann
- Institut für Experimentelle und Klinische Pharmakologie und Toxikologie, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
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de Lago E, Ortega-Gutiérrez S, Ramos JA, López Rodríguez ML, Fernández-Ruiz J. Neurochemical effects of the endocannabinoid uptake inhibitor UCM707 in various rat brain regions. Life Sci 2006; 80:979-88. [PMID: 17173937 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2006.11.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2006] [Revised: 10/17/2006] [Accepted: 11/19/2006] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
To date, UCM707, (5Z,8Z,11Z,14Z)-N-(3-furylmethyl)eicosa-5,8,11,14-tetraenamide, has the highest potency and selectivity in vitro and in vivo as inhibitor of the endocannabinoid uptake. Its biochemical, pharmacological and therapeutic properties have been intensely studied recently, but the information on its capability to modify neurotransmitter activity, which obviously underlies the above properties, is still limited. In the present study, we conducted a time-course experiment in rats aimed at examining the neurochemical effects of UCM707 in several brain regions following a subchronic administration (5 injections during 2.5 days) of this inhibitor in a dose of 5 mg/kg weight. In the hypothalamus, the administration of UCM707 did not modify GABA contents but reduced norepinephrine levels at 5 h after administration, followed by an increase at 12 h. Similar trends were observed for dopamine, whereas serotonin content remained elevated at 1 and, in particular, 5 and 12 h after administration. In the case of the basal ganglia, UCM707 reduced GABA content in the substantia nigra but only at longer (5 or 12 h) times after administration. There were no changes in serotonin content, but a marked reduction in its metabolite 5HIAA was recorded in the substantia nigra. The same pattern was found for dopamine, contents of which were not altered by UCM707 in the caudate-putamen, but its major metabolite DOPAC exhibited a marked decrease at 5 h. In the cerebellum, UCM707 reduced GABA, serotonin and norepinephrine content, but only the reduction found for norepinephrine at 5 h reached statistical significance. The administration of UCM707 did not modify the contents of these neurotransmitters in the hippocampus and the frontal cortex. Lastly, in the case of limbic structures, the administration of UCM707 markedly reduced dopamine content in the nucleus accumbens at 5 h, whereas GABA content remained unchanged in this structure and also in the ventral-tegmental area and the amygdala. By contrast, norepinephrine and serotonin content increased at 5 h in the nucleus accumbens, but not in the other two limbic structures. In summary, UCM707 administered subchronically modified the contents of serotonin, GABA, dopamine and/or norepinephrine with a pattern strongly different in each brain region. So, changes in GABA transmission (decrease) were restricted to the substantia nigra, but did not appear in other regions, whereas dopamine transmission was also altered in the caudate-putamen and the nucleus accumbens. By contrast, norepinephrine and serotonin were altered by UCM707 in the hypothalamus, cerebellum (only norepinephrine), and nucleus accumbens, exhibiting biphasic effects in some cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva de Lago
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Complutense, 28040 Madrid, Spain
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Kelaï S, Hanoun N, Aufrère G, Beaugé F, Hamon M, Lanfumey L. Cannabinoid-serotonin interactions in alcohol-preferring vs. alcohol-avoiding mice. J Neurochem 2006; 99:308-20. [PMID: 16987253 DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2006.04054.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Because cannabinoid and serotonin (5-HT) systems have been proposed to play an important role in drug craving, we investigated whether cannabinoid 1 (CB1) and 5-HT(1A) receptor ligands could affect voluntary alcohol intake in two mouse strains, C57BL/6 J and DBA/2 J, with marked differences in native alcohol preference. When offered progressively (3-10% ethanol) in drinking water, in a free-choice procedure, alcohol intake was markedly lower (approximately 70%) in DBA/2 J than in C57BL/6 J mice. In DBA/2 J mice, chronic treatment with the cannabinoid receptor agonist WIN 55,212-2 increased alcohol intake. WIN 55,212-2 effect was prevented by concomitant, chronic CB1 receptor blockade by rimonabant or chronic 5-HT(1A) receptor stimulation by 8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)-tetralin, which, on their own, did not affect alcohol intake. In C57BL/6 J mice, chronic treatment with WIN 55,212-2 had no effect but chronic CB1 receptor blockade or chronic 5-HT(1A) receptor stimulation significantly decreased alcohol intake. Parallel autoradiographic investigations showed that chronic treatment with WIN 55,212-2 significantly decreased 5-HT(1A)-mediated [35S]guanosine triphosphate-gamma-S binding in the hippocampus of both mouse strains. Conversely, chronic rimonabant increased this binding in C57BL/6 J mice. These results show that cannabinoid neurotransmission can exert a permissive control on alcohol intake, possibly through CB1-5-HT(1A) interactions. However, the differences between C57BL/6 J and DBA/2 J mice indicate that such modulations of alcohol intake are under genetic control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabah Kelaï
- UMR 677 INSERM-UPMC, Faculté de Médecine Pierre et Marie Curie, Site Pitié-Salpêtrière, IFR 70 des Neurosciences, Paris, France
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