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Chang CY, Dai W, Hu SSJ. Cannabidiol enhances socially transmitted food preference: a role of acetylcholine in the mouse basal forebrain. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2024:10.1007/s00213-024-06670-1. [PMID: 39158618 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-024-06670-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2024] [Accepted: 08/05/2024] [Indexed: 08/20/2024]
Abstract
RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVE Rodents acquire food information from their conspecifics and display a preference for the conspecifics' consumed food. This social learning of food information from others promotes the survival of a species, and it is introduced as the socially transmitted food preference (STFP) task. The cholinergic system in the basal forebrain plays a role in the acquisition of STFP. Cannabidiol (CBD), one of the most abundant phytocannabinoids, exerts its therapeutic potential for cognitive deficits through versatile mechanisms of action, including its interaction with the cholinergic system. We hypothesize a positive relationship between CBD and STFP because acetylcholine (ACh) is involved in STFP, and CBD increases the ACh levels in the basal forebrain. MATERIALS AND METHODS Male C57BL/6J mice were trained to acquire the STFP task. We examined whether CBD affects STFP memory by administering CBD (20 mg/kg, i.p.) before the STFP social training. The involvement of cholinergic system in CBD's effect on STFP was examined by knockdown of brain acetylcholinesterase (AChE), applying a nonselective muscarinic antagonist SCO (3 mg/kg, i.p.) before CBD treatment, and measuring the basal forebrain ACh levels in the CBD-treated mice. RESULTS We first showed that CBD enhanced STFP memory. Knockdown of brain AChE also enhanced STFP memory, which mimicked CBD's effect on STFP. SCO blocked CBD's memory-enhancing effect on STFP. Our most significant finding is that the basal forebrain ACh levels in the CBD-treated mice, but not their control counterparts, were positively correlated with mice's STFP memory performance. CONCLUSION This study indicates that CBD enhances STFP memory in mice. Specifically, those which respond to CBD by increasing the muscarinic-mediated ACh signaling perform better in their STFP memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chih-Yu Chang
- Cannabinoid Signaling Laboratory, Department of Psychology, National Cheng Kung University, 1 University Rd, Tainan, 70101, Taiwan
| | - Wen Dai
- Cannabinoid Signaling Laboratory, Department of Psychology, National Cheng Kung University, 1 University Rd, Tainan, 70101, Taiwan
| | - Sherry Shu-Jung Hu
- Cannabinoid Signaling Laboratory, Department of Psychology, National Cheng Kung University, 1 University Rd, Tainan, 70101, Taiwan.
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Buzzi B, Koseli E, Moncayo L, Shoaib M, Damaj M. Role of Neuronal Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors in Cannabinoid Dependence. Pharmacol Res 2023; 191:106746. [PMID: 37001709 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2023.106746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
Cannabis is among the most widely consumed psychoactive drugs around the world and cannabis use disorder (CUD) has no current approved pharmacological treatment. Nicotine and cannabis are commonly co-used which suggests there to be overlapping neurobiological actions supported primarily by the co-distribution of both receptor systems in the brain. There appears to be strong rationale to explore the role that nicotinic receptors play in cannabinoid dependence. Preclinical studies suggest that the ɑ7 nAChR subtype may play a role in modulating the reinforcing and discriminative stimulus effects of cannabinoids, while the ɑ4β2 * nAChR subtype may be involved in modulating the motor and sedative effects of cannabinoids. Preclinical and human genetic studies point towards a potential role of the ɑ5, ɑ3, and β4 nAChR subunits in CUD, while human GWAS studies strongly implicate the ɑ2 subunit as playing a role in CUD susceptibility. Clinical studies suggest that current smoking cessation agents, such as varenicline and bupropion, may also be beneficial in treating CUD, although more controlled studies are necessary. Additional behavioral, molecular, and mechanistic studies investigating the role of nAChR in the modulation of the pharmacological effects of cannabinoids are needed.
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Murillo-Rodríguez E, Arankowsky-Sandoval G, Pertwee RG, Parker L, Mechoulam R. Sleep and neurochemical modulation by cannabidiolic acid methyl ester in rats. Brain Res Bull 2020; 155:166-173. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2019.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2019] [Revised: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 12/10/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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Leung MCK, Silva MH, Palumbo AJ, Lohstroh PN, Koshlukova SE, DuTeaux SB. Adverse outcome pathway of developmental neurotoxicity resulting from prenatal exposures to cannabis contaminated with organophosphate pesticide residues. Reprod Toxicol 2019; 85:12-18. [PMID: 30668982 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2019.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2017] [Revised: 11/07/2018] [Accepted: 01/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
There is growing concern that increased use of medical and recreational cannabis may result in increased exposure to contaminants on the cannabis, such as pesticides. Several states are moving towards implementing robust regulation of the sales, cultivation, and manufacture of cannabis products. However, there are challenges with creating health-protective regulations in an industry that, to date, has been largely unregulated. The focus of this publication is a theoretical examination of what may happen when women are exposed pre-conceptually or during pregnancy to cannabis contaminated with pesticides. We propose an adverse outcome pathway of concomitant prenatal exposure to cannabinoids and the organophosphate pesticide chlorpyrifos by curating what we consider to be the key events at the molecular, cellular, and tissue levels that result in developmental neurotoxicity. The implications of this adverse outcome pathway underscore the need to elucidate the potential developmental neurotoxicity that may result from prenatal exposure to pesticide-contaminated cannabis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxwell C K Leung
- Department of Pesticide Regulation, California Environmental Protection Agency, Sacramento, 1001 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95812, United States.
| | - Marilyn H Silva
- Department of Pesticide Regulation, California Environmental Protection Agency, Sacramento, 1001 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95812, United States
| | - Amanda J Palumbo
- Department of Pesticide Regulation, California Environmental Protection Agency, Sacramento, 1001 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95812, United States
| | - Peter N Lohstroh
- Department of Pesticide Regulation, California Environmental Protection Agency, Sacramento, 1001 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95812, United States
| | - Svetlana E Koshlukova
- Department of Pesticide Regulation, California Environmental Protection Agency, Sacramento, 1001 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95812, United States
| | - Shelley B DuTeaux
- Department of Pesticide Regulation, California Environmental Protection Agency, Sacramento, 1001 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95812, United States
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5
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Llorente-Ovejero A, Manuel I, Giralt MT, Rodríguez-Puertas R. Increase in cortical endocannabinoid signaling in a rat model of basal forebrain cholinergic dysfunction. Neuroscience 2017; 362:206-218. [PMID: 28827178 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2017.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2017] [Revised: 07/20/2017] [Accepted: 08/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The basal forebrain cholinergic pathways progressively degenerate during the progression of Alzheimer's disease, leading to an irreversible impairment of memory and thinking skills. The stereotaxic lesion with 192IgG-saporin in the rat brain has been used to eliminate basal forebrain cholinergic neurons and is aimed at emulating the cognitive damage described in this disease in order to explore its effects on behavior and on neurotransmission. Learning and memory processes that are controlled by cholinergic neurotransmission are also modulated by the endocannabinoid (eCB) system. The objective of the present study is to evaluate the eCB signaling in relation to the memory impairment induced in adult rats following a specific cholinergic lesion of the basal forebrain. Therefore, CB1 receptor-mediated signaling was analyzed using receptor and functional autoradiography, and cellular distribution by immunofluorescence. The passive avoidance test and histochemical data revealed a relationship between impaired behavioral responses and a loss of approximately 75% of cholinergic neurons in the nucleus basalis magnocellularis (NBM), accompanied by cortical cholinergic denervation. The decrease in CB1 receptor density observed in the hippocampus, together with hyperactivity of eCB signaling in the NBM and cortex, suggest an interaction between the eCB and cholinergic systems. Moreover, following basal forebrain cholinergic denervation, the presynaptic GABAergic immunoreactivity was reduced in cortical areas. In conclusion, CB1 receptors present in presynaptic GABAergic terminals in the hippocampus are down regulated, but not those in cortical glutamatergic synapses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Llorente-Ovejero
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing. University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), B° Sarriena s/n, 48940 Leioa, Spain
| | - Iván Manuel
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing. University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), B° Sarriena s/n, 48940 Leioa, Spain
| | - Maria Teresa Giralt
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing. University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), B° Sarriena s/n, 48940 Leioa, Spain
| | - Rafael Rodríguez-Puertas
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing. University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), B° Sarriena s/n, 48940 Leioa, Spain.
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Trouche S, Sasaki JM, Tu T, Reijmers LG. Fear extinction causes target-specific remodeling of perisomatic inhibitory synapses. Neuron 2013; 80:1054-65. [PMID: 24183705 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2013.07.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 131] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/28/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
A more complete understanding of how fear extinction alters neuronal activity and connectivity within fear circuits may aid in the development of strategies to treat human fear disorders. Using a c-fos-based transgenic mouse, we found that contextual fear extinction silenced basal amygdala (BA) excitatory neurons that had been previously activated during fear conditioning. We hypothesized that the silencing of BA fear neurons was caused by an action of extinction on BA inhibitory synapses. In support of this hypothesis, we found extinction-induced target-specific remodeling of BA perisomatic inhibitory synapses originating from parvalbumin and cholecystokinin-positive interneurons. Interestingly, the predicted changes in the balance of perisomatic inhibition matched the silent and active states of the target BA fear neurons. These observations suggest that target-specific changes in perisomatic inhibitory synapses represent a mechanism through which experience can sculpt the activation patterns within a neural circuit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stéphanie Trouche
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA.
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Presynaptic α2-adrenoceptors control the inhibitory action of presynaptic CB1 cannabinoid receptors on prefrontocortical norepinephrine release in the rat. Neuropharmacology 2012; 63:784-97. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2012.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2011] [Revised: 05/15/2012] [Accepted: 06/05/2012] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Languille S, Blanc S, Blin O, Canale CI, Dal-Pan A, Devau G, Dhenain M, Dorieux O, Epelbaum J, Gomez D, Hardy I, Henry PY, Irving EA, Marchal J, Mestre-Francés N, Perret M, Picq JL, Pifferi F, Rahman A, Schenker E, Terrien J, Théry M, Verdier JM, Aujard F. The grey mouse lemur: a non-human primate model for ageing studies. Ageing Res Rev 2012; 11:150-62. [PMID: 21802530 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2011.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 128] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2011] [Revised: 07/04/2011] [Accepted: 07/08/2011] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
The use of non-human primate models is required to understand the ageing process and evaluate new therapies against age-associated pathologies. The present article summarizes all the contributions of the grey mouse lemur Microcebus murinus, a small nocturnal prosimian primate, to the understanding of the mechanisms of ageing. Results from studies of both healthy and pathological ageing research on the grey mouse lemur demonstrated that this animal is a unique model to study age-dependent changes in endocrine systems, biological rhythms, thermoregulation, sensorial, cerebral and cognitive functions.
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Mulder J, Zilberter M, Pasquaré SJ, Alpár A, Schulte G, Ferreira SG, Köfalvi A, Martín-Moreno AM, Keimpema E, Tanila H, Watanabe M, Mackie K, Hortobágyi T, de Ceballos ML, Harkany T. Molecular reorganization of endocannabinoid signalling in Alzheimer's disease. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011; 134:1041-60. [PMID: 21459826 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awr046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 130] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Retrograde messengers adjust the precise timing of neurotransmitter release from the presynapse, thus modulating synaptic efficacy and neuronal activity. 2-Arachidonoyl glycerol, an endocannabinoid, is one such messenger produced in the postsynapse that inhibits neurotransmitter release upon activating presynaptic CB(1) cannabinoid receptors. Cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease is due to synaptic failure in hippocampal neuronal networks. We hypothesized that errant retrograde 2-arachidonoyl glycerol signalling impairs synaptic neurotransmission in Alzheimer's disease. Comparative protein profiling and quantitative morphometry showed that overall CB(1) cannabinoid receptor protein levels in the hippocampi of patients with Alzheimer's disease remain unchanged relative to age-matched controls, and CB(1) cannabinoid receptor-positive presynapses engulf amyloid-β-containing senile plaques. Hippocampal protein concentrations for the sn-1-diacylglycerol lipase α and β isoforms, synthesizing 2-arachidonoyl glycerol, significantly increased in definite Alzheimer's (Braak stage VI), with ectopic sn-1-diacylglycerol lipase β expression found in microglia accumulating near senile plaques and apposing CB(1) cannabinoid receptor-positive presynapses. We found that microglia, expressing two 2-arachidonoyl glycerol-degrading enzymes, serine hydrolase α/β-hydrolase domain-containing 6 and monoacylglycerol lipase, begin to surround senile plaques in probable Alzheimer's disease (Braak stage III). However, Alzheimer's pathology differentially impacts serine hydrolase α/β-hydrolase domain-containing 6 and monoacylglycerol lipase in hippocampal neurons: serine hydrolase α/β-hydrolase domain-containing 6 expression ceases in neurofibrillary tangle-bearing pyramidal cells. In contrast, pyramidal cells containing hyperphosphorylated tau retain monoacylglycerol lipase expression, although at levels significantly lower than in neurons lacking neurofibrillary pathology. Here, monoacylglycerol lipase accumulates in CB(1) cannabinoid receptor-positive presynapses. Subcellular fractionation revealed impaired monoacylglycerol lipase recruitment to biological membranes in post-mortem Alzheimer's tissues, suggesting that disease progression slows the termination of 2-arachidonoyl glycerol signalling. We have experimentally confirmed that altered 2-arachidonoyl glycerol signalling could contribute to synapse silencing in Alzheimer's disease by demonstrating significantly prolonged depolarization-induced suppression of inhibition when superfusing mouse hippocampi with amyloid-β. We propose that the temporal dynamics and cellular specificity of molecular rearrangements impairing 2-arachidonoyl glycerol availability and actions may differ from those of anandamide. Thus, enhanced endocannabinoid signalling, particularly around senile plaques, can exacerbate synaptic failure in Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Mulder
- European Neuroscience Institute at Aberdeen, School of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, UK
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Akirav I. The role of cannabinoids in modulating emotional and non-emotional memory processes in the hippocampus. Front Behav Neurosci 2011; 5:34. [PMID: 21734875 PMCID: PMC3124830 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2011.00034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2011] [Accepted: 06/14/2011] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Cannabinoid agonists generally have a disruptive effect on memory, learning, and operant behavior that is considered to be hippocampus-dependent. Nevertheless, under certain conditions, cannabinoid receptor activation may facilitate neuronal learning processes. For example, CB1 receptors are essential for the extinction of conditioned fear associations, indicating an important role for this receptor in neuronal emotional learning and memory. This review examines the diverse effects of cannabinoids on hippocampal memory and plasticity. It shows how the effects of cannabinoid receptor activation may vary depending on the route of administration, the nature of the task (aversive or not), and whether it involves emotional memory formation (e.g., conditioned fear and extinction learning) or non-emotional memory formation (e.g., spatial learning). It also examines the memory stage under investigation (acquisition, consolidation, retrieval, extinction), and the brain areas involved. Differences between the effects of exogenous and endogenous agonists are also discussed. The apparently biphasic effects of cannabinoids on anxiety is noted as this implies that the effects of cannabinoid receptor agonists on hippocampal learning and memory may be attributable to a general modulation of anxiety or stress levels and not to memory per se. The review concludes that cannabinoids have diverse effects on hippocampal memory and plasticity that cannot be categorized simply into an impairing or an enhancing effect. A better understanding of the involvement of cannabinoids in memory processes will help determine whether the benefits of the clinical use of cannabinoids outweigh the risks of possible memory impairments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irit Akirav
- Department of Psychology, University of Haifa Haifa, Israel
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Physiological activation of cholinergic inputs controls associative synaptic plasticity via modulation of endocannabinoid signaling. J Neurosci 2011; 31:3158-68. [PMID: 21368027 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.5303-10.2011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Cholinergic neuromodulation controls long-term synaptic plasticity underlying memory, learning, and adaptive sensory processing. However, the mechanistic interaction of cholinergic, neuromodulatory inputs with signaling pathways underlying long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD) remains poorly understood. Here, we show that physiological activation of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) controls the size and sign of associative long-term synaptic plasticity via interaction with endocannabinoid signaling. Our findings indicate that synaptic or pharmacological activation of postsynaptic M1/M3 converts postsynaptic Hebbian LTP to presynaptic anti-Hebbian LTD in principal neurons of the dorsal cochlear nucleus (DCN). This conversion is also dependent on NMDA receptor (NMDAR) activation and rises in postsynaptic Ca(2+). While NMDAR activation and Ca(2+) elevation lead to LTP, when these events are coordinated with simultaneous activation of M1/M3 mAChRs, anti-Hebbian LTD is induced. Anti-Hebbian LTD is mediated by a postsynaptic G-protein-coupled receptor intracellular signaling cascade that activates phospholipase C and that leads to enhanced endocannabinoid signaling. Moreover, the interaction between postsynaptic M1/M3 mAChRs and endocannabinoid signaling is input specific, as it occurs only in the parallel fiber inputs, but not in the auditory nerve inputs innervating the same DCN principal neurons. Based on the extensive distribution of cholinergic and endocannabinoid signaling, we suggest that their interaction may provide a general mechanism for dynamic, context-dependent modulation of associative synaptic plasticity.
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Localization of pre- and postsynaptic cholinergic markers in rodent forebrain: a brief history and comparison of rat and mouse. Behav Brain Res 2010; 221:356-66. [PMID: 21129407 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2010.11.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2010] [Accepted: 11/23/2010] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Rat and mouse models are widely used for studies in cognition and pathophysiology, among others. Here, we sought to determine to what extent these two model species differ for cholinergic and cholinoceptive features. For this purpose, we focused on cholinergic innervation patterns based on choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) immunostaining, and the expression of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) detected immunocytochemically. In this brief review we first place cholinergic and cholinoceptive markers in a historic perspective, and then provide an overview of recent publications on cholinergic studies and techniques to provide a literature survey of current research. Next, we compare mouse (C57Bl/J6) and rat (Wistar) cholinergic and cholinoceptive systems simultaneously stained, respectively, for ChAT (analyzed qualitatively) and mAChRs (analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively). In general, the topographic cholinergic innervation patterns of both rodent species are highly comparable, with only considerable (but region specific) differences in number of detectable cholinergic interneurons, which are more numerous in rat. In contrast, immunolabeling for mAChRs, detected by the monoclonal antibody M35, differs markedly in the forebrain between the two species. In mouse brain, basal levels of activated and/or internalized mAChRs (as a consequence of cholinergic neurotransmission) are significantly higher. This suggests a higher cholinergic tone in mouse than rat, and hence the animal model of choice may have consequences for cholinergic drug testing experiments.
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Goonawardena AV, Robinson L, Hampson RE, Riedel G. Cannabinoid and cholinergic systems interact during performance of a short-term memory task in the rat. Learn Mem 2010; 17:502-11. [PMID: 20876271 DOI: 10.1101/lm.1893710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
It is now well established that cannabinoid agonists such as Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), anandamide, and WIN 55,212-2 (WIN-2) produce potent and specific deficits in working memory (WM)/short-term memory (STM) tasks in rodents. Although mediated through activation of CB1 receptors located in memory-related brain regions such as the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, these may, in part, be due to a reduction in acetylcholine release (i.e., cholinergic hypofunction). To determine the interaction between cannabinoid and cholinergic systems, we exposed rats treated with WIN-2 or cholinergic drugs to a hippocampal-dependent delayed nonmatch to sample (DNMS) task to study STM, and recorded hippocampal single-unit activity in vivo. WIN-2 induced significant deficits in DNMS performance and reduced the average firing and bursting rates of hippocampal principal cells through a CB1 receptor-mediated mechanism. Rivastigmine, an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, reversed these STM deficits and normalized hippocampal discharge rates. Effects were specific to 1 mg/kg WIN-2 as rivastigmine failed to reverse the behavioral and physiological deficits that were observed in the presence of MK-801, an NMDA receptor antagonist. This supports the notion that cannabinoid-modulated cholinergic activity is a mechanism underlying the performance deficits in DNMS. Whether deficits are due to reduced nicotinic or muscarinic receptor activation, or both, awaits further analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anushka V Goonawardena
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27157-1083, USA
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Robinson L, Goonawardena AV, Pertwee R, Hampson RE, Platt B, Riedel G. WIN55,212-2 induced deficits in spatial learning are mediated by cholinergic hypofunction. Behav Brain Res 2010; 208:584-92. [PMID: 20079375 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2010.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2009] [Revised: 01/04/2010] [Accepted: 01/06/2010] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Cannabinoids acting on CB(1) receptors induce learning and memory impairments. However, the identification of novel non-CB(1) receptors which are insensitive to the psychoactive ingredient of marijuana, Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta(9)-THC) but sensitive to synthetic cannabinoids such as WIN55,212-2 (WIN-2) or endocannabinoids like anandamide lead us to question whether WIN-2 induced learning and memory deficits are indeed mediated by CB(1) receptor activation. Given the relative paucity of receptor subtype specific antagonists, a way forward would be to determine the transmitter systems, which are modulated by the respective cannabinoids. This study set out to evaluate this proposition by determination of the effects of WIN-2 on acquisition of spatial reference memory using the water maze in rats. Particular weight was given to performance in trial 1 of each daily session as an index of between-session long-term memory, and in trial 4 as an index of within-session short-term memory. Intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of WIN-2 (1 mg/kg and 3 mg/kg) prior to training impaired long-term, but not short-term memory. This deficit was not reversed by the CB(1) antagonists/inverse agonists Rimonabant (3mg/kg i.p.) and AM281 (0.5 mg/kg i.p.), but recovered in the presence of the cholinesterase inhibitor rivastigmine (1 mg/kg). Reversal by rivastigmine was specific to WIN-2, as it failed to reverse MK801 (0.08 mg/kg) induced learning impairments. Collectively, these data suggest that in this spatial reference memory task WIN-2 causes a reduction in cholinergic activation, possibly through a non-CB(1)-like mechanism, which affects long-term but not short-term spatial memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lianne Robinson
- School of Medical Sciences, College of Life Science and Medicine, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, UK
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Secretagogin is a Ca2+-binding protein specifying subpopulations of telencephalic neurons. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2009; 106:22492-7. [PMID: 20018755 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0912484106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The Ca(2+)-binding proteins (CBPs) parvalbumin, calbindin, and calretinin are phenotypic markers of terminally differentiated neurons in the adult brain. Although subtle phylogenetic variations in the neuronal distribution of these CBPs may occur, morphologically and functionally diverse subclasses of interneurons harbor these proteins in olfactory and corticolimbic areas. Secretagogin (scgn) is a recently cloned CBP from pancreatic beta and neuroendocrine cells. We hypothesized that scgn is expressed in the mammalian brain. We find that scgn is a marker of neuroblasts commuting in the rostral migratory stream. Terminally differentiated neurons in the olfactory bulb retain scgn expression, with scgn being present in periglomerular cells and granular layer interneurons. In the corticolimbic system, scgn identifies granule cells distributed along the dentate gyrus, indusium griseum, and anterior hippocampal continuation emphasizing the shared developmental origins, and cytoarchitectural and functional similarities of these neurons. We also uncover unexpected phylogenetic differences in scgn expression, since this CBP is restricted to primate cholinergic basal forebrain neurons. Overall, we characterize scgn as a neuron-specific CBP whose distribution identifies neuronal subtypes and hierarchical organizing principles in the mammalian brain.
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Fetissov SO, Bensing S, Mulder J, Le Maitre E, Hulting AL, Harkany T, Ekwall O, Sköldberg F, Husebye ES, Perheentupa J, Rorsman F, Kämpe O, Hökfelt T. Autoantibodies in autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type I patients react with major brain neurotransmitter systems. J Comp Neurol 2009; 513:1-20. [DOI: 10.1002/cne.21913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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Kano M, Ohno-Shosaku T, Hashimotodani Y, Uchigashima M, Watanabe M. Endocannabinoid-mediated control of synaptic transmission. Physiol Rev 2009; 89:309-80. [PMID: 19126760 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00019.2008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1048] [Impact Index Per Article: 69.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The discovery of cannabinoid receptors and subsequent identification of their endogenous ligands (endocannabinoids) in early 1990s have greatly accelerated research on cannabinoid actions in the brain. Then, the discovery in 2001 that endocannabinoids mediate retrograde synaptic signaling has opened up a new era for cannabinoid research and also established a new concept how diffusible messengers modulate synaptic efficacy and neural activity. The last 7 years have witnessed remarkable advances in our understanding of the endocannabinoid system. It is now well accepted that endocannabinoids are released from postsynaptic neurons, activate presynaptic cannabinoid CB(1) receptors, and cause transient and long-lasting reduction of neurotransmitter release. In this review, we aim to integrate our current understanding of functions of the endocannabinoid system, especially focusing on the control of synaptic transmission in the brain. We summarize recent electrophysiological studies carried out on synapses of various brain regions and discuss how synaptic transmission is regulated by endocannabinoid signaling. Then we refer to recent anatomical studies on subcellular distribution of the molecules involved in endocannabinoid signaling and discuss how these signaling molecules are arranged around synapses. In addition, we make a brief overview of studies on cannabinoid receptors and their intracellular signaling, biochemical studies on endocannabinoid metabolism, and behavioral studies on the roles of the endocannabinoid system in various aspects of neural functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masanobu Kano
- Department of Neurophysiology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
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Moreira FA, Grieb M, Lutz B. Central side-effects of therapies based on CB1 cannabinoid receptor agonists and antagonists: focus on anxiety and depression. Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab 2009; 23:133-44. [PMID: 19285266 DOI: 10.1016/j.beem.2008.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 209] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Both agonists (e.g. Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol, nabilone) and antagonists (e.g. rimonabant, taranabant) of the cannabinoid type-1 (CB(1)) receptor have been explored as therapeutic agents in diverse fields of medicine such as pain management and obesity with associated metabolic dysregulation, respectively. CB(1) receptors are widely distributed in the central nervous system and are involved in the modulation of emotion, stress and habituation responses, behaviours that are thought to be dysregulated in human psychiatric disorders. Accordingly, CB(1) receptor activation may, in some cases, precipitate episodes of psychosis and panic, while its inhibition may lead to behaviours reminiscent of depression and anxiety-related disorders. The present review discusses these side-effects, which have to be taken into account in the therapeutic exploitation of the endocannabinoid system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabrício A Moreira
- Department of Physiological Chemistry, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Duesbergweg 6, 55099 Mainz, Germany
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McPartland JM, Glass M, Pertwee RG. Meta-analysis of cannabinoid ligand binding affinity and receptor distribution: interspecies differences. Br J Pharmacol 2007; 152:583-93. [PMID: 17641667 PMCID: PMC2190026 DOI: 10.1038/sj.bjp.0707399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 171] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
A meta-analysis, unlike a literature review, synthesizes previous studies into new results. Pooled data from 211 studies measured ligand binding affinities at human (Hs) or rat (Rn) cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2. Cochrane methods were modified for this non-clinical analysis. Meta-regression detected data heterogeneity arising from methodological factors: use of sectioned tissues, lack of PMSF and choice of radioligand. Native brain tissues exhibited greater affinity (lower nM) than transfected cells, but the trend fell short of significance, as did the trend between centrifugation and filtration methods. Correcting for heterogeneity, mean Ki values for delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol differed significantly between HsCB1 and RnCB1 (25.1 and 42.6 nM, respectively) but not between HsCB1 and HsCB2 (25.1 and 35.2). Mean Kd values for HsCB1, RnCB1 and HsCB2 of CP55,940 (2.5, 0.98, 0.92) and WIN55,212-2 (16.7, 2.4, 3.7) differed between HsCB1 and RnCB1 and between HsCB1 and HsCB2. SR141716A differed between HsCB1 and RnCB1 (2.9 and 1.0 nM). Anandamide at HsCB1, RnCB1 and HsCB2 (239.2, 87.7, 439.5) fell short of statistical differences due to heterogeneity. We consider these Kd and Ki values to be the most valid estimates in the literature. Sensitivity analyses did not support the numerical validity of cannabidiol, cannabinol, 2-arachidonoyl glycerol and all ligands at RnCB2. Aggregate rank order analysis of CB(1) distribution in the brain (pooled from 119 autoradiographic, immunohistochemical and in situ hybridization studies) showed denser HsCB1 expression in cognitive regions (cerebral cortex) compared to RnCB1, which was relatively richer in movement-associated areas (cerebellum, caudate-putamen). Implications of interspecies differences are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- J M McPartland
- Department of Molecular Biology, GW Pharmaceuticals, Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK.
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Ballesteros-Yáñez I, Valverde O, Ledent C, Maldonado R, DeFelipe J. Chronic cocaine treatment alters dendritic arborization in the adult motor cortex through a CB1 cannabinoid receptor–dependent mechanism. Neuroscience 2007; 146:1536-45. [PMID: 17467187 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2007.03.017] [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] [Received: 01/11/2007] [Revised: 02/18/2007] [Accepted: 03/04/2007] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The CB1 cannabinoid receptors modulate the addictive processes associated with different drugs of abuse, including psychostimulants. Mice lacking CB1 receptors exhibit an important attenuation of the reinforcing responses produced by cocaine in an operant self-administration paradigm. We have investigated the effect of chronic cocaine treatment on dendrite structure and spine density of the principal cortical neuron, the pyramidal neuron, in CB1 knockout mice and wild type littermates. Layer III pyramidal cells of the motor cortex were injected intracellularly in fixed cortical slices and their morphometric parameters analyzed. Under basal conditions, the field area of the dendritic arbors was more extensive and dendritic spine density was higher in wild type mice than in CB1 knockout mice. Chronic treatment of cocaine diminished the size and length of the basal dendrites and spine density on pyramidal cells from wild type mice. However, the total number of spines in the pyramidal cells of CB1 knockout mice augmented slightly following chronic cocaine treatment, although no changes in the morphology of the dendritic arbor were observed. Our data demonstrate that microanatomy and synaptic connectivity are affected by cocaine, the magnitude and nature of these changes depend on the presence of CB1 receptors.
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Abstract
Recent years have produced rapid and enormous growth in our understanding of endocannabinoid-mediated signaling in the CNS. While much of the recent progress has focused on other areas of the brain, a significant body of evidence has developed that indicates the presence of a robust system for endocannabinoid-mediated signaling in the dentate gyrus. This chapter will provide an overview of our current understanding of that system based on available anatomical and physiological data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles J Frazier
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, University of Florida, College of Pharmacy, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA.
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