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Beldarrain G, Chillida M, Hilario E, Herrero de la Parte B, Álvarez A, Alonso-Alconada D. URB447 Is Neuroprotective in Both Male and Female Rats after Neonatal Hypoxia-Ischemia and Enhances Neurogenesis in Females. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1607. [PMID: 38338884 PMCID: PMC10855747 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25031607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The need for new and effective treatments for neonates suffering from hypoxia-ischemia is urgent, as the only implemented therapy in clinics is therapeutic hypothermia, only effective in 50% of cases. Cannabinoids may modulate neuronal development and brain plasticity, but further investigation is needed to better describe their implication as a neurorestorative therapy after neonatal HI. The cannabinoid URB447, a CB1 antagonist/CB2 agonist, has previously been shown to reduce brain injury after HI, but it is not clear whether sex may affect its neuroprotective and/or neurorestorative effect. Here, URB447 strongly reduced brain infarct, improved neuropathological score, and augmented proliferative capacity and neurogenic response in the damaged hemisphere. When analyzing these effects by sex, URB447 ameliorated brain damage in both males and females, and enhanced cell proliferation and the number of neuroblasts only in females, thus suggesting a neuroprotective effect in males and a double neuroprotective/neurorestorative effect in females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gorane Beldarrain
- Department of Cell Biology and Histology, School of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 48940 Leioa, Spain
| | - Marc Chillida
- Department of Cell Biology and Histology, School of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 48940 Leioa, Spain
| | - Enrique Hilario
- Department of Cell Biology and Histology, School of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 48940 Leioa, Spain
| | - Borja Herrero de la Parte
- Department of Surgery and Radiology and Physical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 48940 Leioa, Spain
| | - Antonia Álvarez
- Department of Cell Biology and Histology, School of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 48940 Leioa, Spain
| | - Daniel Alonso-Alconada
- Department of Cell Biology and Histology, School of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 48940 Leioa, Spain
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2
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Mohammadpanah M, Farrokhi S, Sani M, Moghaddam MH, Bayat AH, Boroujeni ME, Abdollahifar MA, Fathi M, Vakili K, Nikpour F, Omran HS, Ahmadirad H, Ghorbani Z, Peyvandi AA, Aliaghaei A. Exposure to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol leads to a rise in caspase-3, morphological changes in microglial, and astrocyte reactivity in the cerebellum of rats. Toxicol Res (Camb) 2023; 12:1077-1094. [PMID: 38145099 PMCID: PMC10734605 DOI: 10.1093/toxres/tfad098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The present study aimed to elucidate the effect of 10 mg/kg Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on cerebellar neuronal and glial morphology, apoptosis and inflammatory gene expression using a series of histological assays including stereology, Sholl analysis, immunofluorescence and real-time qPCR in male Wistar rats. A decrease in the number of Purkinje neurons and the thickness of the granular layer in the cerebellum was reported in THC-treated rats. Increased expression of Iba-1 and arborization of microglial processes were evidence of microgliosis and morphological changes in microglia. In addition, astrogliosis and changes in astrocyte morphology were other findings associated with THC administration. THC also led to an increase in caspase-3 positive cells and a decrease in autophagy and inflammatory gene expression such as mTOR, BECN1 and LAMP2. However, there were no significant changes in the volume of molecular layers and white matter, the spatial arrangement of granular layers and white matter, or the spatial arrangement of granular layers and white matter in the cerebellum. Taken together, our data showed both neuroprotective and neurodegenerative properties of THC in the cerebellum, which require further study in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mojtaba Mohammadpanah
- Hearing Disorders Research Center, Loghman Hakim Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sheida Farrokhi
- Department of Biology and Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mojtaba Sani
- Department of Educational Neuroscience, Aras International Campus, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Meysam Hassani Moghaddam
- Department of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, AJA University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Amir-Hossein Bayat
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Sciences and Advanced Technology in Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Mahdi Eskandarian Boroujeni
- Laboratory of Human Molecular Genetics, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland
| | - Mohammad-Amin Abdollahifar
- Department of Biology and Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mobina Fathi
- Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Kimia Vakili
- Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Nikpour
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hossein Salehi Omran
- Department of Biology and Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hossein Ahmadirad
- Department of Biology and Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Zeynab Ghorbani
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali Asghar Peyvandi
- Hearing Disorders Research Center, Loghman Hakim Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Abbas Aliaghaei
- Hearing Disorders Research Center, Loghman Hakim Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Biology and Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Ertl N, Lawn W, Mokrysz C, Freeman TP, Alnagger N, Borissova A, Fernandez-Vinson N, Lees R, Ofori S, Petrilli K, Trinci K, Viding E, Curran HV, Wall MB. Associations between regular cannabis use and brain resting-state functional connectivity in adolescents and adults. J Psychopharmacol 2023; 37:904-919. [PMID: 37515469 DOI: 10.1177/02698811231189441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIM Cannabis use is highly prevalent in adolescents; however, little is known about its effects on adolescent brain function. METHOD Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging was used in matched groups of regular cannabis users (N = 70, 35 adolescents: 16-17 years old, 35 adults: 26-29 years old) and non-regular-using controls (N = 70, 35 adolescents/35 adults). Pre-registered analyses examined the connectivity of seven major cortical and sub-cortical brain networks (default mode network, executive control network (ECN), salience network, hippocampal network and three striatal networks) using seed-based analysis methods with cross-sectional comparisons between user groups and age groups. RESULTS The regular cannabis use group (across both age groups), relative to controls, showed localised increases in connectivity only in the ECN analysis. All networks showed localised connectivity differences based on age group, with the adolescents generally showing weaker connectivity than adults, consistent with the developmental effects. Mean connectivity across entire network regions of interest (ROIs) was also significantly decreased in the ECN in adolescents. However, there were no significant interactions found between age group and user group in any of the seed-based or ROI analyses. There were also no associations found between cannabis use frequency and any of the derived connectivity measures. CONCLUSION Regular cannabis use is associated with changes in connectivity of the ECN, which may reflect allostatic or compensatory changes in response to regular cannabis intoxication. However, these associations were not significantly different in adolescents compared to adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Ertl
- Invicro London, Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK
- Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK
| | - Will Lawn
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- Department of Addictions, Institute of Psychiatry Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Claire Mokrysz
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, London, UK
| | - Tom P Freeman
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, London, UK
- Addiction and Mental Health Group (AIM), Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK
| | - Naji Alnagger
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, London, UK
| | - Anna Borissova
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, London, UK
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, UK
| | | | - Rachel Lees
- Addiction and Mental Health Group (AIM), Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK
| | - Shelan Ofori
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, London, UK
| | - Kat Petrilli
- Addiction and Mental Health Group (AIM), Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK
| | - Katie Trinci
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, London, UK
| | - Essi Viding
- Clinical, Educational, and Health Psychology Research Department, University College London, London, UK
| | - H Valerie Curran
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, London, UK
| | - Matthew B Wall
- Invicro London, Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK
- Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, London, UK
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4
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Yinka OS, Olubunmi OP, Zabdiel AA, Oladele OJ, Taiye AS, Ayodele A, Adetutu FO, Afees OJ, Kayode AA. Peroral Exposure to Cannabis Sativa Ethanol Extract Caused Neuronal Degeneration and Astrogliosis in Wistar Rats' Prefrontal Cortex. Ann Neurosci 2023; 30:84-95. [PMID: 37706104 PMCID: PMC10496793 DOI: 10.1177/09727531221120988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Despite widespread concerns about its possible side effects, notably on the prefrontal cortex (PFC), which mediates cognitive processes, the use of Cannabis sativa as a medicinal and recreational drug is expanding exponentially. This study evaluated possible behavioral alterations, neurotransmitter levels, histological, and immunohistochemical changes in the PFC of Wistar rats exposed to Cannabis sativa. Purpose To evaluate the effect of graded doses of Cannabis sativa on the PFC using behavioural, histological, and immunohistochemical approaches. Methods Twenty-eight juvenile male Wistar rats weighing between 70 g and 100 g were procured and assigned into groups A-D (n = 7 each). Group A served as control which received distilled water only as a placebo; rats in groups B, C, and D which were the treatment groups were orally exposed to graded doses of Cannabis sativa (10 mg/kg, 50 mg/kg, and 100 mg/kg, respectively). Rats in all experimental groups were exposed to Cannabis sativa for 21 days, followed by behavioral tests using the open field test for locomotor, anxiety, and exploratory activities, while the Y-maze test was for spatial memory assessment. Rats for biochemical analysis were cervically dislocated and rats for tissue processing were intracardially perfused following neurobehavioral tests. Sequel to sacrifice, brain tissues were excised and prefrontal cortices were obtained for the neurotransmitter (glutamate, acetylcholine, and dopamine) and enzymatic assay (Cytochrome C oxidase (CcO) and Glucose 6- Phosphate Dehydrogenase-G-6-PDH). Brain tissues were fixed in 10% Neutral Buffered Formalin (NBF) for histological demonstration of the PFC cytoarchitecture using H&E and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) for astrocyte evaluation. Results Glutamate and dopamine levels were significantly increased (F = 24.44, P = .0132) in groups D, and B, C, and D, respectively, compared to control; likewise, the activities of CcO and G-6-PDH were also significantly elevated (F = 96.28, P = .0001) (F = 167.5, P = .0001) in groups C and D compared to the control. Cannabis sativa impaired locomotor activity and spatial memory in B and D and D, respectively. All Cannabis sativa exposed groups demonstrated evidence of neurodegeneration in the exposed groups; GFAP immunoexpression was evident in all groups with a marked increase in group D. Conclusion Cannabis sativa altered neurotransmitter levels, energy metabolism, locomotor, and exploratory activity, and spatial working memory, with neuronal degeneration as well as reactive astrogliosis in the PFC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olatunji Sunday Yinka
- Department of Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Benjamin Carson (Snr.) College of Medical and Health Sciences, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State Nigeria
- Anatomy Department, Adventist School of Medicine of East-Central Africa, Adventist University of Central Africa, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Ogunnaike Philip Olubunmi
- Department of Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Benjamin Carson (Snr.) College of Medical and Health Sciences, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State Nigeria
| | - Abijo Ayodeji Zabdiel
- Department of Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Benjamin Carson (Snr.) College of Medical and Health Sciences, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State Nigeria
| | - Owolabi Joshua Oladele
- Department of Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Benjamin Carson (Snr.) College of Medical and Health Sciences, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State Nigeria
- Anatomy Department, Division of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Global Health Equity, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Adelodun Stephen Taiye
- Department of Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Benjamin Carson (Snr.) College of Medical and Health Sciences, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State Nigeria
| | - Adeoye Ayodele
- Department of Education, School of Education and Humanities, Babcock University, Ilisan-Remo, Ogun State, Nigeria
| | - Fasesan Oluwatoyin Adetutu
- Department of Psychiatry, Ben Carson School of Medicine, Babcock University, Ilisan-Remo, Ogun State, Nigeria
| | - Olanrewaju John Afees
- Department of Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Benjamin Carson (Snr.) College of Medical and Health Sciences, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State Nigeria
| | - Adegbite Ademola Kayode
- Department of Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Benjamin Carson (Snr.) College of Medical and Health Sciences, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State Nigeria
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5
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Daniju Y, Faulkner P, Brandt K, Allen P. Prefrontal cortex and putamen grey matter alterations in cannabis and tobacco users. J Psychopharmacol 2022; 36:1315-1323. [PMID: 36112825 PMCID: PMC9716493 DOI: 10.1177/02698811221117523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous magnetic resonance imaging studies in regular cannabis users report altered grey matter volume (GMV) in brain regions, including the prefrontal cortex (PFC), putamen and hippocampus. However, most studies have tended to recruit recreational users with high levels of cannabis use, and have not controlled for the possible confounding effects of tobacco use. We attempt to address these limitations in the present study. METHODS We acquired volumetric images in sex, age and IQ-matched groups of (1) regular Cannabis users who also smoke Tobacco cigarettes ('CT'; n = 33), (2) non-cannabis-using Tobacco cigarette smokers ('T'; n = 19) and (3) non-cannabis/tobacco-using Controls ('C'; n = 35). GMV in bilateral PFC, putamen and hippocampal regions was compared across groups. We also examined the associations between GMV differences and levels of cannabis and tobacco use, measures of intellectual function, and of depression, anxiety and stress. RESULTS Relative to controls, both CT and T groups showed lower GMV in the left inferior frontal gyrus, and greater GMV in the putamen. In addition, lower GMV in the right frontal pole in the CT group (but not the T group) was associated with lifetime cannabis use, but not with cigarette use. CONCLUSIONS Regular cannabis users who also smoked tobacco cigarettes showed altered GMV patterns relative to controls. However, a similar pattern of GMV differences was also seen between regular tobacco users that did not use cannabis. Further research is needed to disentangle the effects of cannabis and tobacco use on brain structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusuf Daniju
- School of Psychology, Whitelands College, University of Roehampton, London, UK
| | - Paul Faulkner
- School of Psychology, Whitelands College, University of Roehampton, London, UK,Combined Universities Brain Imaging Centre, Royal Holloway University of London, UK
| | - Kaz Brandt
- School of Psychology, Whitelands College, University of Roehampton, London, UK
| | - Paul Allen
- School of Psychology, Whitelands College, University of Roehampton, London, UK,Combined Universities Brain Imaging Centre, Royal Holloway University of London, UK,Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, UK,Paul Allen, School of Psychology, University of Roehampton, Whitelands College, Holybourne Avenue, London SW15 4JD, UK.
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6
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Fitzpatrick JM, Hackett B, Costelloe L, Hind W, Downer EJ. Botanically-Derived Δ 9-Tetrahydrocannabinol and Cannabidiol, and Their 1:1 Combination, Modulate Toll-like Receptor 3 and 4 Signalling in Immune Cells from People with Multiple Sclerosis. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 27:molecules27061763. [PMID: 35335126 PMCID: PMC8951523 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27061763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Revised: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The innate immune response to bacterial and viral molecules involves the coordinated production of cytokines, chemokines, and type I interferons (IFNs), which is orchestrated by toll-like receptors (TLRs). TLRs, and their intracellular signalling intermediates, are closely associated with multiple sclerosis (MS) pathogenesis. Recent data from our laboratory reported that the plant-derived cannabinoids, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), regulate viral and bacterial inflammatory signalling pathways controlled by TLR3 and TLR4 in macrophages. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of THC and CBD, when delivered in isolation and in combination (1:1), on TLR3- and TLR4-dependent signalling in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from people with MS (pwMS; n = 21) and healthy controls (HCs; n = 26). We employed the use of poly(I:C) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to induce viral TLR3 and bacterial TLR4 signalling, and PBMCs were pre-exposed to plant-derived highly purified THC (10 μM), CBD (10 μM), or a combination of both phytocannabinoids (1:1 ratio, 10:10 μM), prior to LPS/poly(I:C) exposure. TLR3 stimulation promoted the protein expression of the chemokine CXCL10 and the type I IFN-β in PBMCs from both cohorts. THC and CBD (delivered in 1:1 combination at 10 μM) attenuated TLR3-induced CXCL10 and IFN-β protein expression in PBMCs from pwMS and HCs, and this effect was not seen consistently when THC and CBD were delivered alone. In terms of LPS, TLR4 activation promoted TNF-α expression in PBMCs from both cohorts, and, interestingly, CBD when delivered alone at 10 μM, and in combination with THC (in 1:1 combination at 10 μM), exacerbated TLR4-induced TNF-α protein expression in PBMCs from pwMS and HCs. THC and CBD displayed no evidence of toxicity in primary PBMCs. No significant alteration in the relative expression of TLR3 and TLR4 mRNA, or components of the endocannabinoid system, including the cannabinoid receptor CB1 (encoded by CNR1 gene) and CB2 (encoded by CNR2 gene), and endocannabinoid metabolising enzymes, fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) and monoacylglycerol lipase (MGLL), was determined in PBMCs from pwMS versus HCs. Given their role in inflammation, TLRs are clinical targets, and data herein identify CBD and THC as TLR3 and TLR4 modulating drugs in primary immune cells in vitro. This offers insight on the cellular target(s) of phytocannabinoids in targeting inflammation in the context of MS.
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Affiliation(s)
- John-Mark Fitzpatrick
- Discipline of Physiology, School of Medicine, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, University of Dublin, D02 R590 Dublin, Ireland; (J.-M.F.); (B.H.)
| | - Becky Hackett
- Discipline of Physiology, School of Medicine, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, University of Dublin, D02 R590 Dublin, Ireland; (J.-M.F.); (B.H.)
| | - Lisa Costelloe
- Department of Neurology, Beaumont Hospital, D09 V2N0 Dublin, Ireland;
| | - William Hind
- GW Research Ltd., Sovereign House, Vision Park, Histon CB24 9BZ, UK;
| | - Eric J. Downer
- Discipline of Physiology, School of Medicine, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, University of Dublin, D02 R590 Dublin, Ireland; (J.-M.F.); (B.H.)
- Correspondence:
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7
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Martínez-Aguirre C, Cinar R, Rocha L. Targeting Endocannabinoid System in Epilepsy: For Good or for Bad. Neuroscience 2021; 482:172-185. [PMID: 34923038 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2021.12.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Revised: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Epilepsy is a neurological disorder with a high prevalence worldwide. Several studies carried out during the last decades indicate that the administration of cannabinoids as well as the activation of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) represent a therapeutic strategy to control epilepsy. However, there are controversial studies indicating that activation of ECS results in cell damage, inflammation and neurotoxicity, conditions that facilitate the seizure activity. The present review is focused to present findings supporting this issue. According to the current discrepancies, it is relevant to elucidate the different effects induced by the activation of ECS and determine the conditions under which it facilitates the seizure activity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Resat Cinar
- Section on Fibrotic Disorders, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Rockville, USA
| | - Luisa Rocha
- Department of Pharmacobiology, Center for Research and Advanced Studies, Mexico City, Mexico.
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8
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D'Souza DC, Radhakrishnan R, Naganawa M, Ganesh S, Nabulsi N, Najafzadeh S, Ropchan J, Ranganathan M, Cortes-Briones J, Huang Y, Carson RE, Skosnik P. Preliminary in vivo evidence of lower hippocampal synaptic density in cannabis use disorder. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:3192-3200. [PMID: 32973170 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-020-00891-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2020] [Revised: 08/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Cannabis is one of the most commonly and widely used psychoactive drugs. The rates of cannabis misuse have been increasing. Therefore, understanding the effects of cannabis use on the brain is important. Adolescent and adult rodents exposed to repeated administration of cannabinoids show persistent microstructural changes in the hippocampus both pre- and post-synaptically. Whether similar alterations exist in human cannabis users, has not yet been demonstrated in vivo. Positron emission tomography (PET) and [11C]UCB-J, a radioligand for the synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2A (SV2A), were used to study hippocampal synaptic integrity in vivo in an equal number (n = 12) of subjects with DSM-5 cannabis use disorder (CUD) and matched healthy controls (HC). Arterial sampling was used to measure plasma input function. [11C]UCB-J binding potential (BPND) was estimated using a one-tissue (1T) compartment model with centrum semiovale as the reference region. Hippocampal function was assessed using a verbal memory task. Relative to HCs, CUDs showed significantly lower [11C]UCB-J BPND in the hippocampus (~10%, p = 0.008, effect size 1.2) and also performed worse on the verbal memory task. These group differences in hippocampal BPND persisted after correction for volume differences (p = 0.013), and correction for both age and volume (p = 0.03). We demonstrate, for the first time, in vivo evidence of lower hippocampal synaptic density in cannabis use disorder. These results are consistent with the microstructural findings from experimental studies with cannabinoids in animals, and studies of hippocampal macrostructure in human with CUD. Whether the lower hippocampal synaptic density resolves with abstinence warrants further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepak Cyril D'Souza
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA. .,Psychiatry Service, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA. .,Schizophrenia Neuropharmacology Research Group at Yale (SNRGY), New Haven, CT, USA. .,Abraham Ribicoff Research Facilities, Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, CT, USA.
| | - Rajiv Radhakrishnan
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.,Psychiatry Service, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA.,Schizophrenia Neuropharmacology Research Group at Yale (SNRGY), New Haven, CT, USA.,Abraham Ribicoff Research Facilities, Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Mika Naganawa
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Engineering, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Suhas Ganesh
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.,Abraham Ribicoff Research Facilities, Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Nabeel Nabulsi
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Engineering, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Soheila Najafzadeh
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Engineering, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Jim Ropchan
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Engineering, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Mohini Ranganathan
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.,Psychiatry Service, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA.,Schizophrenia Neuropharmacology Research Group at Yale (SNRGY), New Haven, CT, USA.,Abraham Ribicoff Research Facilities, Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Jose Cortes-Briones
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.,Psychiatry Service, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA.,Schizophrenia Neuropharmacology Research Group at Yale (SNRGY), New Haven, CT, USA.,Abraham Ribicoff Research Facilities, Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Yiyun Huang
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Engineering, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Richard E Carson
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Engineering, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Patrick Skosnik
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.,Psychiatry Service, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA.,Schizophrenia Neuropharmacology Research Group at Yale (SNRGY), New Haven, CT, USA.,Abraham Ribicoff Research Facilities, Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, CT, USA
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9
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Frolli A, Ricci MC, Cavallaro A, Lombardi A, Bosco A, Di Carmine F, Operto FF, Franzese L. Cognitive Development and Cannabis Use in Adolescents. Behav Sci (Basel) 2021; 11:bs11030037. [PMID: 33802852 PMCID: PMC8002758 DOI: 10.3390/bs11030037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Revised: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Heavy exposure to cannabis during adolescence can cause significant neurocognitive changes. It can alter emotional responsiveness and social behavior, and cause impairments in sustained attention, learning, working memory (WM), cognitive flexibility, and the speed of information processing. It also has a significant impact on executive functions. In this study we investigated how global cognitive functions can be affected by the frequency of cannabinoid consumption in different categories of consumers (chronic, occasional, and non-users), through the evaluation of executive functions. Statistical analysis showed a significant decrease in performance in working memory tasks and processing speed by subjects using cannabis chronically (group 1) as compared to non-consumers (group 3), and occasional consumers (group 2). Future studies could verify the extent of neurocognitive alterations through re-evaluations with controlled follow-up and the addition of neuro-functional data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Frolli
- Disability Research Centre, University of International Studies of Rome, 00147 Rome, Italy; (M.C.R.); (F.D.C.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-347-4910-178
| | - Maria Carla Ricci
- Disability Research Centre, University of International Studies of Rome, 00147 Rome, Italy; (M.C.R.); (F.D.C.)
| | - Antonella Cavallaro
- FINDS—Italian Neuroscience and Developmental Disorders Foundation, 81040 Caserta, Italy; (A.C.); (A.L.); (A.B.)
| | - Agnese Lombardi
- FINDS—Italian Neuroscience and Developmental Disorders Foundation, 81040 Caserta, Italy; (A.C.); (A.L.); (A.B.)
| | - Antonia Bosco
- FINDS—Italian Neuroscience and Developmental Disorders Foundation, 81040 Caserta, Italy; (A.C.); (A.L.); (A.B.)
| | - Francesca Di Carmine
- Disability Research Centre, University of International Studies of Rome, 00147 Rome, Italy; (M.C.R.); (F.D.C.)
| | - Francesca Felicia Operto
- Department of Child Neuropsychiatry, ASL (Local Health Company) of Salerno, 84084 Salerno, Italy;
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10
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Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Prevents Mortality from Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome through the Induction of Apoptosis in Immune Cells, Leading to Cytokine Storm Suppression. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21176244. [PMID: 32872332 PMCID: PMC7503745 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21176244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2020] [Revised: 08/22/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) causes up to 40% mortality in humans and is difficult to treat. ARDS is also one of the major triggers of mortality associated with coronavirus-induced disease (COVID-19). We used a mouse model of ARDS induced by Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB), which triggers 100% mortality, to investigate the mechanisms through which Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) attenuates ARDS. SEB was used to trigger ARDS in C3H mice. These mice were treated with THC and analyzed for survival, ARDS, cytokine storm, and metabolome. Additionally, cells isolated from the lungs were used to perform single-cell RNA sequencing and transcriptome analysis. A database analysis of human COVID-19 patients was also performed to compare the signaling pathways with SEB-mediated ARDS. The treatment of SEB-mediated ARDS mice with THC led to a 100% survival, decreased lung inflammation, and the suppression of cytokine storm. This was associated with immune cell apoptosis involving the mitochondrial pathway, as suggested by single-cell RNA sequencing. A transcriptomic analysis of immune cells from the lungs revealed an increase in mitochondrial respiratory chain enzymes following THC treatment. In addition, metabolomic analysis revealed elevated serum concentrations of amino acids, lysine, n-acetyl methionine, carnitine, and propionyl L-carnitine in THC-treated mice. THC caused the downregulation of miR-185, which correlated with an increase in the pro-apoptotic gene targets. Interestingly, the gene expression datasets from the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of human COVID-19 patients showed some similarities between cytokine and apoptotic genes with SEB-induced ARDS. Collectively, this study suggests that the activation of cannabinoid receptors may serve as a therapeutic modality to treat ARDS associated with COVID-19.
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11
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Chye Y, Kirkham R, Lorenzetti V, McTavish E, Solowij N, Yücel M. Cannabis, Cannabinoids, and Brain Morphology: A Review of the Evidence. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY: COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2020; 6:627-635. [PMID: 32948510 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2020.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Revised: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 07/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Cannabis and cannabinoid-based products are increasingly being accepted and commodified globally. Yet there is currently limited understanding of the effect of the varied cannabinoid compounds on the brain. Exogenous cannabinoids interact with the endogenous cannabinoid system that underpins vital functions in the brain and body, and they are thought to perturb key brain and cognitive function. However, much neuroimaging research has been confined to observational studies of cannabis users, without examining the specific role of the various cannabinoids (Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, cannabidiol, etc.). This review summarizes the brain structural imaging evidence to date associated with cannabis use, its major cannabinoids (e.g., Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, cannabidiol), and synthetic cannabinoid products that have emerged as recreational drugs. In doing so, we seek to highlight some of the key issues to consider in understanding cannabinoid-related brain effects, emphasizing the dual neurotoxic and neuroprotective role of cannabinoids, and the need to consider the distinct role of the varied cannabinoids in establishing their effect on the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yann Chye
- BrainPark, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Monash Biomedical Imaging Facility, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Rebecca Kirkham
- BrainPark, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Monash Biomedical Imaging Facility, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Valentina Lorenzetti
- BrainPark, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Monash Biomedical Imaging Facility, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; School of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Eugene McTavish
- BrainPark, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Monash Biomedical Imaging Facility, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Nadia Solowij
- School of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia; Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia; Australian Centre for Cannabinoid Clinical and Research Excellence, New Lambton Heights, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Murat Yücel
- BrainPark, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Monash Biomedical Imaging Facility, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
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12
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Ghorbani M, Shahabi P, Karimi P, Soltani-Zangbar H, Morshedi M, Bani S, Jafarzadehgharehziaaddin M, Sadeghzadeh-Oskouei B, Ahmadalipour A. Impacts of epidural electrical stimulation on Wnt signaling, FAAH, and BDNF following thoracic spinal cord injury in rat. J Cell Physiol 2020; 235:9795-9805. [PMID: 32488870 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.29793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2020] [Revised: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 05/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Electrical stimulation (ES) has been shown to improve some of impairments after spinal cord injury (SCI), but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. The Wnt signaling pathways and the endocannabinoid system appear to be modulated in response to SCI. This study aimed to investigate the effect of ES therapy on the activity of canonical/noncanonical Wnt signaling pathways, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and fatty-acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), which regulate endocannabinoids levels. Forty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: (a) Sham, (b) laminectomy + epidural subthreshold ES, (c) SCI, and (d) SCI + epidural subthreshold ES. A moderate contusion SCI was performed at the thoracic level (T10). Epidural subthreshold ES was delivered to upper the level of T10 segment every day (1 hr/rat) for 2 weeks. Then, animals were killed and immunoblotting was used to assess spinal cord parameters. Results revealed that ES intervention for 14 days could significantly increase wingless-type3 (Wnt3), Wnt7, β-catenin, Nestin, and cyclin D1 levels, as well as phosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase 3β and Jun N-terminal kinase. Additionally, SCI reduced BDNF and FAAH levels, and ES increased BDNF and FAAH levels in the injury site. We propose that ES therapy may improve some of impairments after SCI through Wnt signaling pathways. Outcomes also suggest that BDNF and FAAH are important players in the beneficial impacts of ES therapy. However, the precise mechanism of BDNF, FAAH, and Wnt signaling pathways on SCI requires further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meysam Ghorbani
- Neurosciences Research Center (NSRC), Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.,Drug Applied Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Parviz Shahabi
- Neurosciences Research Center (NSRC), Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Pouran Karimi
- Neurosciences Research Center (NSRC), Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Hamid Soltani-Zangbar
- Neurosciences Research Center (NSRC), Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Mohammad Morshedi
- Neurosciences Research Center (NSRC), Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.,Drug Applied Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Soheila Bani
- Neurosciences Research Center (NSRC), Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | | | | | - Ali Ahmadalipour
- Research Center of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.,Faculty of Medicine, Aging Research Institute, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
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13
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Miller HP, Bonawitz SC, Ostrovsky O. The effects of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on inflammation: A review. Cell Immunol 2020; 352:104111. [PMID: 32339769 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellimm.2020.104111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
THC is the main psychoactive compound found in marijuana. A number of studies over the past few decades, both in vitro and in vivo, have demonstrated that THC down-regulates the inflammatory process through various mechanisms. Similar findings have been demonstrated with CBD, the other major bioactive component of marijuana. Given the essential role that inflammation plays in early wound healing, it is possible that marijuana, or its individual constituents, may impact this process. Herein, we review the existing literature related to the effects of THC on inflammation and potentially wound healing, and discuss how this connection may be relevant from a surgical perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry P Miller
- Department of Surgery, Cooper University Hospital, Camden, NJ, USA
| | | | - Olga Ostrovsky
- Division of Surgical Research, Cooper University Hospital, Camden, NJ, USA.
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14
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Dellazizzo L, Potvin S, Athanassiou M, Dumais A. Violence and Cannabis Use: A Focused Review of a Forgotten Aspect in the Era of Liberalizing Cannabis. Front Psychiatry 2020; 11:567887. [PMID: 33192691 PMCID: PMC7525024 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.567887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2020] [Accepted: 08/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
There has been a shift surrounding societal and legal perspectives on cannabis reflecting changing public attitudes towards the perceived safety and social acceptability of cannabis use. With cannabis liberalization internationally, the focus of most cannabis-related harms has been on effects with users themselves. Harm-to-others including injuries from violence have nevertheless been unfortunately largely overlooked. While studies remain heterogeneous, there is meta-analytical evidence pointing towards an association. The aims of this focused review are two-fold: (I) review the evidence from meta-analyses on the association between cannabis and violence; and (II) provide an overview of possible mechanisms relating cannabis use to violence. First, evidence from meta-analytical studies in youths, intimate partners, and individuals with severe mental disorders have shown that there is a global moderate association between cannabis use and violence, which is stronger in the latter more at-risk population. Preliminary data has even highlighted a potential dose-response relationship with larger effects in more frequent users. Although of importance, this subject has remained essentially forgotten as a public health concern. While literature remains inconclusive, data has suggested potential increases in cannabis use following liberalization policies. This may increase violent outcomes if the effect is directly related to the use of cannabis by means of its psychophysiological modifications. However, for the moment, the mechanisms associating cannabis use and violence remain to be clearly resolved. Considering the recency of policy changes on cannabis, further methodologically sound research using longitudinal designs should examine the effects that cannabis use may have on different forms of violence and the trends that emerge, while evaluating the effects of possible confounding factors (e.g. other substance use). In addition, as evidence-based research from meta-analyses have shown that cannabis use is associated with violence, measures must be taken to mitigate the risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Dellazizzo
- Research Center of the Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry and Addictology, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Stéphane Potvin
- Research Center of the Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry and Addictology, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Maria Athanassiou
- Research Center of the Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry and Addictology, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Alexandre Dumais
- Research Center of the Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry and Addictology, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Institut national de psychiatrie légale Philippe-Pinel, Montreal, QC, Canada
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15
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Archie SR, Cucullo L. Harmful Effects of Smoking Cannabis: A Cerebrovascular and Neurological Perspective. Front Pharmacol 2019; 10:1481. [PMID: 31920665 PMCID: PMC6915047 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2019.01481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2019] [Accepted: 11/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Apart from being used as a medicine, cannabis or marijuana is the most widely abused recreational drug all over the world. The legalization and decriminalization of cannabis in Canada and various states of USA may be the underlying reason of the widespread popularity of it among young population. Various studies have reported about the relationship between cannabis use and different detrimental effects like cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and neurological complications among different age groups. Specifically, the young population is getting adversely affected by this, harmful yet, readily accessible recreational drug. Although the mechanism behind cannabis mediated neurological and cerebrovascular complications has not been elucidated yet, the results of these studies have confirmed the association of these diseases with cannabis. Given the lack of comprehensive study relating these harmful complications with cannabis use, the aim of this narrative literature review article is to evaluate and summarize current studies on cannabis consumption and cerebrovascular/neurological diseases along with the leading toxicological mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Rahman Archie
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, TX, United States
| | - Luca Cucullo
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, TX, United States.,Center for Blood Brain Barrier Research, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, TX, United States
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16
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Grey Matter Volume Differences Associated with Extremely Low Levels of Cannabis Use in Adolescence. J Neurosci 2019; 39:1817-1827. [PMID: 30643026 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.3375-17.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2017] [Revised: 12/03/2018] [Accepted: 12/11/2018] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Rates of cannabis use among adolescents are high, and are increasing concurrent with changes in the legal status of marijuana and societal attitudes regarding its use. Recreational cannabis use is understudied, especially in the adolescent period when neural maturation may make users particularly vulnerable to the effects of Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on brain structure. In the current study, we used voxel-based morphometry to compare gray matter volume (GMV) in forty-six 14-year-old human adolescents (males and females) with just one or two instances of cannabis use and carefully matched THC-naive controls. We identified extensive regions in the bilateral medial temporal lobes as well as the bilateral posterior cingulate, lingual gyri, and cerebellum that showed greater GMV in the cannabis users. Analysis of longitudinal data confirmed that GMV differences were unlikely to precede cannabis use. GMV in the temporal regions was associated with contemporaneous performance on the Perceptual Reasoning Index and with future generalized anxiety symptoms in the cannabis users. The distribution of GMV effects mapped onto biomarkers of the endogenous cannabinoid system providing insight into possible mechanisms for these effects.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Almost 35% of American 10th graders have reported using cannabis and existing research suggests that initiation of cannabis use in adolescence is associated with long-term neurocognitive effects. We understand very little about the earliest effects of cannabis use, however, because most research is conducted in adults with a heavy pattern of lifetime use. This study presents evidence suggesting structural brain and cognitive effects of just one or two instances of cannabis use in adolescence. Converging evidence suggests a role for the endocannabinoid system in these effects. This research is particularly timely as the legal status of cannabis is changing in many jurisdictions and the perceived risk by youth associated with smoking cannabis has declined in recent years.
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17
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Bloomfield MAP, Hindocha C, Green SF, Wall MB, Lees R, Petrilli K, Costello H, Ogunbiyi MO, Bossong MG, Freeman TP. The neuropsychopharmacology of cannabis: A review of human imaging studies. Pharmacol Ther 2018; 195:132-161. [PMID: 30347211 PMCID: PMC6416743 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2018.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 132] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The laws governing cannabis are evolving worldwide and associated with changing patterns of use. The main psychoactive drug in cannabis is Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a partial agonist at the endocannabinoid CB1 receptor. Acutely, cannabis and THC produce a range of effects on several neurocognitive and pharmacological systems. These include effects on executive, emotional, reward and memory processing via direct interactions with the endocannabinoid system and indirect effects on the glutamatergic, GABAergic and dopaminergic systems. Cannabidiol, a non-intoxicating cannabinoid found in some forms of cannabis, may offset some of these acute effects. Heavy repeated cannabis use, particularly during adolescence, has been associated with adverse effects on these systems, which increase the risk of mental illnesses including addiction and psychosis. Here, we provide a comprehensive state of the art review on the acute and chronic neuropsychopharmacology of cannabis by synthesizing the available neuroimaging research in humans. We describe the effects of drug exposure during development, implications for understanding psychosis and cannabis use disorder, and methodological considerations. Greater understanding of the precise mechanisms underlying the effects of cannabis may also give rise to new treatment targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael A P Bloomfield
- Translational Psychiatry Research Group, Research Department of Mental Health Neuroscience, Division of Psychiatry, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, United Kingdom; Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, United Kingdom; Psychiatric Imaging Group, MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom; NIHR University College London Hospitals Biomedical Research Centre, University College Hospital, London, United Kingdom; Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, United Kingdom.
| | - Chandni Hindocha
- Translational Psychiatry Research Group, Research Department of Mental Health Neuroscience, Division of Psychiatry, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, United Kingdom; Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, United Kingdom; NIHR University College London Hospitals Biomedical Research Centre, University College Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sebastian F Green
- Translational Psychiatry Research Group, Research Department of Mental Health Neuroscience, Division of Psychiatry, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew B Wall
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, United Kingdom; Centre for Neuropsychopharmacology, Division of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, United Kingdom; Invicro UK, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Rachel Lees
- Translational Psychiatry Research Group, Research Department of Mental Health Neuroscience, Division of Psychiatry, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, United Kingdom; Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, United Kingdom; Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, United Kingdom
| | - Katherine Petrilli
- Translational Psychiatry Research Group, Research Department of Mental Health Neuroscience, Division of Psychiatry, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, United Kingdom; Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, United Kingdom; Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, United Kingdom
| | - Harry Costello
- Translational Psychiatry Research Group, Research Department of Mental Health Neuroscience, Division of Psychiatry, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, United Kingdom
| | - M Olabisi Ogunbiyi
- Translational Psychiatry Research Group, Research Department of Mental Health Neuroscience, Division of Psychiatry, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, United Kingdom
| | - Matthijs G Bossong
- Department of Psychiatry, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Tom P Freeman
- Translational Psychiatry Research Group, Research Department of Mental Health Neuroscience, Division of Psychiatry, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, United Kingdom; Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, United Kingdom; Department of Psychology, University of Bath, United Kingdom; National Addiction Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, United Kingdom
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18
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Moreno-Alcázar A, Gonzalvo B, Canales-Rodríguez EJ, Blanco L, Bachiller D, Romaguera A, Monté-Rubio GC, Roncero C, McKenna PJ, Pomarol-Clotet E. Larger Gray Matter Volume in the Basal Ganglia of Heavy Cannabis Users Detected by Voxel-Based Morphometry and Subcortical Volumetric Analysis. Front Psychiatry 2018; 9:175. [PMID: 29773998 PMCID: PMC5943550 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2017] [Accepted: 04/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Structural imaging studies of cannabis users have found evidence of both cortical and subcortical volume reductions, especially in cannabinoid receptor-rich regions such as the hippocampus and amygdala. However, the findings have not been consistent. In the present study, we examined a sample of adult heavy cannabis users without other substance abuse to determine whether long-term use is associated with brain structural changes, especially in the subcortical regions. Method: We compared the gray matter volume of 14 long-term, heavy cannabis users with non-using controls. To provide robust findings, we conducted two separate studies using two different MRI techniques. Each study used the same sample of cannabis users and a different control group, respectively. Both control groups were independent of each other. First, whole-brain voxel-based morphometry (VBM) was used to compare the cannabis users against 28 matched controls (HC1 group). Second, a volumetric analysis of subcortical regions was performed to assess differences between the cannabis users and a sample of 100 matched controls (HC2 group) obtained from a local database of healthy volunteers. Results: The VBM study revealed that, compared to the control group HC1, the cannabis users did not show cortical differences nor smaller volume in any subcortical structure but showed a cluster (p < 0.001) of larger GM volume in the basal ganglia, involving the caudate, putamen, pallidum, and nucleus accumbens, bilaterally. The subcortical volumetric analysis revealed that, compared to the control group HC2, the cannabis users showed significantly larger volumes in the putamen (p = 0.001) and pallidum (p = 0.0015). Subtle trends, only significant at the uncorrected level, were also found in the caudate (p = 0.05) and nucleus accumbens (p = 0.047). Conclusions: This study does not support previous findings of hippocampal and/or amygdala structural changes in long-term, heavy cannabis users. It does, however, provide evidence of basal ganglia volume increases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Moreno-Alcázar
- FIDMAG Germanes Hospitalàries Research Foundation, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental, Madrid, Spain.,Centre Fòrum Research Unit, Institut de Neuropsiquiatria i Addiccions, Parc de Salut Mar, Barcelona, Spain.,IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Begoña Gonzalvo
- Benito Menni Complex Assistencial en Salut Mental, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Erick J Canales-Rodríguez
- FIDMAG Germanes Hospitalàries Research Foundation, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Radiology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Signal Processing Lab (LTS5), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Laura Blanco
- Benito Menni Complex Assistencial en Salut Mental, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Diana Bachiller
- Addictions and Dual Diagnosis Unit, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital-Public Health Agency of Barcelona (ASPB), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Anna Romaguera
- FIDMAG Germanes Hospitalàries Research Foundation, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gemma C Monté-Rubio
- FIDMAG Germanes Hospitalàries Research Foundation, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental, Madrid, Spain
| | - Carlos Roncero
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental, Madrid, Spain.,Addictions and Dual Diagnosis Unit, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital-Public Health Agency of Barcelona (ASPB), Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Psychiatry, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain.,Psychiatric Service, University of Salamanca Health Care Complex, Salamanca, Spain.,Institute of Biomedicine of Salamanca, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Peter J McKenna
- FIDMAG Germanes Hospitalàries Research Foundation, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental, Madrid, Spain
| | - Edith Pomarol-Clotet
- FIDMAG Germanes Hospitalàries Research Foundation, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental, Madrid, Spain
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19
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Chye Y, Solowij N, Suo C, Batalla A, Cousijn J, Goudriaan AE, Martin-Santos R, Whittle S, Lorenzetti V, Yücel M. Orbitofrontal and caudate volumes in cannabis users: a multi-site mega-analysis comparing dependent versus non-dependent users. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2017; 234:1985-1995. [PMID: 28364340 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-017-4606-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2016] [Accepted: 03/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Cannabis (CB) use and dependence are associated with regionally specific alterations to brain circuitry and substantial psychosocial impairment. OBJECTIVES The objective of this study was to investigate the association between CB use and dependence, and the volumes of brain regions critically involved in goal-directed learning and behaviour-the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and caudate. METHODS In the largest multi-site structural imaging study of CB users vs healthy controls (HC), 140 CB users and 121 HC were recruited from four research sites. Group differences in OFC and caudate volumes were investigated between HC and CB users and between 70 dependent (CB-dep) and 50 non-dependent (CB-nondep) users. The relationship between quantity of CB use and age of onset of use and caudate and OFC volumes was explored. RESULTS CB users (consisting of CB-dep and CB-nondep) did not significantly differ from HC in OFC or caudate volume. CB-dep compared to CB-nondep users exhibited significantly smaller volume in the medial and the lateral OFC. Lateral OFC volume was particularly smaller in CB-dep females, and reduced volume in the CB-dep group was associated with higher monthly cannabis dosage. CONCLUSIONS Smaller medial OFC volume may be driven by CB dependence-related mechanisms, while smaller lateral OFC volume may be due to ongoing exposure to cannabinoid compounds. The results highlight a distinction between cannabis use and dependence and warrant examination of gender-specific effects in studies of CB dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yann Chye
- Brain and Mental Health Laboratory, Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Nadia Solowij
- School of Psychology and Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
| | - Chao Suo
- Brain and Mental Health Laboratory, Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Albert Batalla
- Department of Psychiatry, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Hospital Clinic, IDIBAPS, CIBERSAM and Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Janna Cousijn
- Department of Developmental Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Anna E Goudriaan
- Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam Institute for Addiction Research, Academic Medical Centre, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Arkin Mental Health Care, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Rocio Martin-Santos
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Hospital Clinic, IDIBAPS, CIBERSAM and Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sarah Whittle
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne and Melbourne Health, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Valentina Lorenzetti
- Brain and Mental Health Laboratory, Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne and Melbourne Health, Melbourne, Australia.
- School of Psychological Sciences, Institute of Psychology, Health and Society, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
| | - Murat Yücel
- Brain and Mental Health Laboratory, Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
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20
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Dang DK, Shin EJ, Mai AT, Jang CG, Nah SY, Jeong JH, Ledent C, Yamamoto T, Nabeshima T, Onaivi ES, Kim HC. Genetic or pharmacological depletion of cannabinoid CB1 receptor protects against dopaminergic neurotoxicity induced by methamphetamine in mice. Free Radic Biol Med 2017; 108:204-224. [PMID: 28363605 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2017.03.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2016] [Revised: 03/14/2017] [Accepted: 03/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Accumulating evidence suggests that cannabinoid ligands play delicate roles in cell survival and apoptosis decisions, and that cannabinoid CB1 receptors (CB1R) modulate dopaminergic function. However, the role of CB1R in methamphetamine (MA)-induced dopaminergic neurotoxicity in vivo remains elusive. Multiple high doses of MA increased phospho-ERK and CB1R mRNA expressions in the striatum of CB1R (+/+) mice. These increases were attenuated by CB1R antagonists (i.e., AM251 and rimonabant), an ERK inhibitor (U0126), or dopamine D2R antagonist (sulpiride). In addition, treatment with MA resulted in dopaminergic impairments, which were attenuated by CB1R knockout or CB1R antagonists (i.e., AM251 and rimonabant). Consistently, MA-induced oxidative stresses (i.e., protein oxidation, lipid peroxidation and reactive oxygen species) and pro-apoptotic changes (i.e., increases in Bax, cleaved PKCδ- and cleaved caspase 3-expression and decrease in Bcl-2 expression) were observed in the striatum of CB1R (+/+) mice. These toxic effects were attenuated by CB1R knockout or CB1R antagonists. Consistently, treatment with four high doses of CB1R agonists (i.e., WIN 55,212-2 36mg/kg and ACEA 16mg/kg) also resulted in significant oxidative stresses, pro-apoptotic changes, and dopaminergic impairments. Since CB1R co-immunoprecipitates PKCδ in the presence of MA or CB1R agonists, we applied PKCδ knockout mice to clarify the role of PKCδ in the neurotoxicity elicited by CB1Rs. CB1R agonist-induced toxic effects were significantly attenuated by CB1R knockout, CB1R antagonists or PKCδ knockout. Therefore, our results suggest that interaction between D2R, ERK and CB1R is critical for MA-induced dopaminergic neurotoxicity and that PKCδ mediates dopaminergic damage induced by high-doses of CB1R agonist.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Apoptosis
- Butadienes/pharmacology
- Cells, Cultured
- Corpus Striatum/metabolism
- Corpus Striatum/pathology
- Dopamine/metabolism
- Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases/antagonists & inhibitors
- Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases/pharmacology
- Methamphetamine/administration & dosage
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Mice, Knockout
- Neurotoxicity Syndromes/genetics
- Neurotoxicity Syndromes/metabolism
- Nitriles/pharmacology
- Oxidative Stress
- Piperidines/pharmacology
- Protein Kinase C-delta/genetics
- Protein Kinase C-delta/metabolism
- Pyrazoles/pharmacology
- Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1/antagonists & inhibitors
- Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1/genetics
- Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1/metabolism
- Receptors, Dopamine D2/metabolism
- Rimonabant
- Sulpiride/pharmacology
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Affiliation(s)
- Duy-Khanh Dang
- Neuropsychopharmacology and Toxicology Program, College of Pharmacy, Kangwon National University, Chunchon 24341, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun-Joo Shin
- Neuropsychopharmacology and Toxicology Program, College of Pharmacy, Kangwon National University, Chunchon 24341, Republic of Korea
| | - Anh-Thu Mai
- Neuropsychopharmacology and Toxicology Program, College of Pharmacy, Kangwon National University, Chunchon 24341, Republic of Korea
| | - Choon-Gon Jang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung-Yeol Nah
- Ginsentology Research Laboratory and Department of Physiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji Hoon Jeong
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 06974, Republic of Korea
| | | | - Tsuneyuki Yamamoto
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagasaki International University, Nagasaki 859-3298, Japan
| | - Toshitaka Nabeshima
- Nabeshima Laboratory, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Meijo University, Nagoya 468-8503, Japan
| | - Emmanuel S Onaivi
- Department of Biology, William Paterson University, Wayne, NJ 07470, USA
| | - Hyoung-Chun Kim
- Neuropsychopharmacology and Toxicology Program, College of Pharmacy, Kangwon National University, Chunchon 24341, Republic of Korea.
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21
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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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22
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Neural mechanisms of sensitivity to peer information in young adult cannabis users. COGNITIVE AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2017; 16:646-61. [PMID: 27068178 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-016-0421-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Though social influence is a critical factor in the initiation and maintenance of marijuana use, the neural correlates of influence in those who use marijuana are unknown. In this study, marijuana-using young adults (MJ; n = 20) and controls (CON; n = 23) performed a decision-making task in which they made a perceptual choice after viewing the choices of unknown peers via photographs, while they underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging scans. The MJ and CON groups did not show differences in the overall number of choices that agreed with versus opposed group influence, but only the MJ group showed reaction time slowing when deciding against group choices. Longer reaction times were associated with greater activation of frontal regions. The MJ goup, compared to CON, showed significantly greater activation in the caudate when presented with peer information. Across groups, caudate activation was associated with self-reported susceptibility to influence. These findings indicate that young adults who use MJ may exhibit increased effort when confronted with opposing peer influence, as well as exhibit greater responsivity of the caudate to social information. These results not only better define the neural basis of social decisions, but also suggest that marijuana use is associated with exaggerated neural activity during decision making that involves social information.
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23
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Hill SY, Sharma V, Jones BL. Lifetime use of cannabis from longitudinal assessments, cannabinoid receptor (CNR1) variation, and reduced volume of the right anterior cingulate. Psychiatry Res 2016; 255:24-34. [PMID: 27500453 PMCID: PMC5025865 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2016.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2015] [Revised: 04/07/2016] [Accepted: 05/25/2016] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Lifetime measures of cannabis use and co-occurring exposures were obtained from a longitudinal cohort followed an average of 13 years at the time they received a structural MRI scan. MRI scans were analyzed for 88 participants (mean age=25.9 years), 34 of whom were regular users of cannabis. Whole brain voxel based morphometry analyses (SPM8) were conducted using 50 voxel clusters at p=0.005. Controlling for age, familial risk, and gender, we found reduced volume in Regular Users compared to Non-Users, in the lingual gyrus, anterior cingulum (right and left), and the rolandic operculum (right). The right anterior cingulum reached family-wise error statistical significance at p=0.001, controlling for personal lifetime use of alcohol and cigarettes and any prenatal exposures. CNR1 haplotypes were formed from four CNR1 SNPs (rs806368, rs1049353, rs2023239, and rs6454674) and tested with level of cannabis exposure to assess their interactive effects on the lingual gyrus, cingulum (right and left) and rolandic operculum, regions showing cannabis exposure effects in the SPM8 analyses. These analyses used mixed model analyses (SPSS) to control for multiple potentially confounding variables. Level of cannabis exposure was associated with decreased volume of the right anterior cingulum and showed interaction effects with haplotype variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shirley Y Hill
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
| | - Vinod Sharma
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Bobby L Jones
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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24
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Bernier D, Bartha R, McAllindon D, Hanstock CC, Marchand Y, Dillen KNH, Gallant M, Good KP, Tibbo PG. Illness versus substance use effects on the frontal white matter in early phase schizophrenia: A 4Tesla (1)H-MRS study. Schizophr Res 2016; 175:4-11. [PMID: 27161760 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2016.04.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2015] [Revised: 04/13/2016] [Accepted: 04/15/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Young adults with early phase schizophrenia often report a past or current pattern of illicit substance use and/or alcohol misuse. Still, little is known about the cumulative and separate effects of each stressor on white matter tissue, at this vulnerable period of brain development. METHODS Participants involved 24 healthy controls with a past or current history of sustained illicit drug use and/or alcohol misuse (users), 23 healthy controls without such history (normative data), and 27 users with early phase schizophrenia. (1)H-MRS data were acquired from a large frontal volume encompassing 95% of white matter, using a 4Tesla scanner (LASER sequence, TR/TE 3200/46ms). RESULTS Reduced levels of choline-containing compounds (Cho) were specific to the effect of illness (Cohen's d=0.68), with 22% of the variance in Cho levels accounted for by duration of illness. Reduced levels of myoInositol (d=1.10) and creatine plus phosphocreatine (d=1.07) were specific to the effects of illness plus substance use. Effect of substance use on its own was revealed by reductions in levels of glutamate plus glutamine (d=0.83) in control users relative to normative data. CONCLUSIONS The specific effect of illness on white matter might indicate a decreased synthesis of membrane phospholipids or alternatively, reduced membrane cellular density. In terms of limitations, this study did not include patients without a lifetime history of substance use (non-users), and the specific effect of each substance used could not be studied separately.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denise Bernier
- Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Robert Bartha
- Robarts Research Institute, University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada
| | - David McAllindon
- Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia, Canada; Biomedical Translational Imaging Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | | | - Yannick Marchand
- Faculty of Computer Science, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Kim N H Dillen
- Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Michelle Gallant
- Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Kimberly P Good
- Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Philip G Tibbo
- Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia, Canada.
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25
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Wetherill RR, Jagannathan K, Hager N, Childress AR, Rao H, Franklin TR. Cannabis, Cigarettes, and Their Co-Occurring Use: Disentangling Differences in Gray Matter Volume. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2015; 18:pyv061. [PMID: 26045474 PMCID: PMC4648161 DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyv061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2014] [Accepted: 05/25/2015] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Structural magnetic resonance imaging techniques are powerful tools for examining the effects of drug use on the brain. The nicotine and cannabis literature has demonstrated differences between nicotine cigarette smokers and cannabis users compared to controls in brain structure; however, less is known about the effects of co-occurring cannabis and tobacco use. METHODS We used voxel-based morphometry to examine gray matter volume differences between four groups: (1) cannabis-dependent individuals who do not smoke tobacco (Cs); (2) cannabis-dependent individuals who smoke tobacco (CTs); (3) cannabis-naïve, nicotine-dependent individuals who smoke tobacco (Ts); and (4) healthy controls (HCs). We also explored associations between gray matter volume and measures of cannabis and tobacco use. RESULTS A significant group effect was observed in the left putamen, thalamus, right precentral gyrus, and left cerebellum. Compared to HCs, the Cs, CTs, and Ts exhibited larger gray matter volumes in the left putamen. Cs also had larger gray matter volume than HCs in the right precentral gyrus. Cs and CTs exhibited smaller gray matter volume than HCs in the thalamus, and CTs and Ts had smaller left cerebellar gray matter volume than HCs. CONCLUSIONS This study extends previous research that independently examined the effects of cannabis or tobacco use on brain structure by including an examination of co-occurring cannabis and tobacco use, and provides evidence that cannabis and tobacco exposure are associated with alterations in brain regions associated with addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reagan R Wetherill
- University of Pennsylvania, Department of Psychiatry, Philadelphia, PA (Drs Wetherill, Jagannathan, Childress, Rao, and Franklin, and Mr Hager).
| | - Kanchana Jagannathan
- University of Pennsylvania, Department of Psychiatry, Philadelphia, PA (Drs Wetherill, Jagannathan, Childress, Rao, and Franklin, and Mr Hager)
| | - Nathan Hager
- University of Pennsylvania, Department of Psychiatry, Philadelphia, PA (Drs Wetherill, Jagannathan, Childress, Rao, and Franklin, and Mr Hager)
| | - Anna Rose Childress
- University of Pennsylvania, Department of Psychiatry, Philadelphia, PA (Drs Wetherill, Jagannathan, Childress, Rao, and Franklin, and Mr Hager)
| | - Hengyi Rao
- University of Pennsylvania, Department of Psychiatry, Philadelphia, PA (Drs Wetherill, Jagannathan, Childress, Rao, and Franklin, and Mr Hager)
| | - Teresa R Franklin
- University of Pennsylvania, Department of Psychiatry, Philadelphia, PA (Drs Wetherill, Jagannathan, Childress, Rao, and Franklin, and Mr Hager)
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26
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Lubman DI, Cheetham A, Yücel M. Cannabis and adolescent brain development. Pharmacol Ther 2014; 148:1-16. [PMID: 25460036 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2014.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 189] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2014] [Accepted: 11/03/2014] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Heavy cannabis use has been frequently associated with increased rates of mental illness and cognitive impairment, particularly amongst adolescent users. However, the neurobiological processes that underlie these associations are still not well understood. In this review, we discuss the findings of studies examining the acute and chronic effects of cannabis use on the brain, with a particular focus on the impact of commencing use during adolescence. Accumulating evidence from both animal and human studies suggests that regular heavy use during this period is associated with more severe and persistent negative outcomes than use during adulthood, suggesting that the adolescent brain may be particularly vulnerable to the effects of cannabis exposure. As the endocannabinoid system plays an important role in brain development, it is plausible that prolonged use during adolescence results in a disruption in the normative neuromaturational processes that occur during this period. We identify synaptic pruning and white matter development as two processes that may be adversely impacted by cannabis exposure during adolescence. Potentially, alterations in these processes may underlie the cognitive and emotional deficits that have been associated with regular use commencing during adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan I Lubman
- Turning Point, Eastern Health and Eastern Health Clinical School, Monash University, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Ali Cheetham
- Turning Point, Eastern Health and Eastern Health Clinical School, Monash University, Victoria, Australia
| | - Murat Yücel
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne and Melbourne Health, Victoria, Australia; Monash Clinical & Imaging Neuroscience, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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27
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Long-term effects of cannabis on brain structure. Neuropsychopharmacology 2014; 39:2041-8. [PMID: 24633558 PMCID: PMC4104335 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2014.67] [Citation(s) in RCA: 214] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2013] [Revised: 02/22/2014] [Accepted: 03/06/2014] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The dose-dependent toxicity of the main psychoactive component of cannabis in brain regions rich in cannabinoid CB1 receptors is well known in animal studies. However, research in humans does not show common findings across studies regarding the brain regions that are affected after long-term exposure to cannabis. In the present study, we investigate (using Voxel-based Morphometry) gray matter changes in a group of regular cannabis smokers in comparison with a group of occasional smokers matched by the years of cannabis use. We provide evidence that regular cannabis use is associated with gray matter volume reduction in the medial temporal cortex, temporal pole, parahippocampal gyrus, insula, and orbitofrontal cortex; these regions are rich in cannabinoid CB1 receptors and functionally associated with motivational, emotional, and affective processing. Furthermore, these changes correlate with the frequency of cannabis use in the 3 months before inclusion in the study. The age of onset of drug use also influences the magnitude of these changes. Significant gray matter volume reduction could result either from heavy consumption unrelated to the age of onset or instead from recreational cannabis use initiated at an adolescent age. In contrast, the larger gray matter volume detected in the cerebellum of regular smokers without any correlation with the monthly consumption of cannabis may be related to developmental (ontogenic) processes that occur in adolescence.
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28
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Batalla A, Soriano-Mas C, López-Solà M, Torrens M, Crippa JA, Bhattacharyya S, Blanco-Hinojo L, Fagundo AB, Harrison BJ, Nogué S, de la Torre R, Farré M, Pujol J, Martín-Santos R. Modulation of brain structure by catechol-O-methyltransferase Val(158) Met polymorphism in chronic cannabis users. Addict Biol 2014; 19:722-32. [PMID: 23311613 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Neuroimaging studies have shown that chronic consumption of cannabis may result in alterations in brain morphology. Recent work focusing on the relationship between brain structure and the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene polymorphism suggests that functional COMT variants may affect brain volume in healthy individuals and in schizophrenia patients. We measured the influence of COMT genotype on the volume of four key regions: the prefrontal cortex, neostriatum (caudate-putamen), anterior cingulate cortex and hippocampus-amygdala complex, in chronic early-onset cannabis users and healthy control subjects. We selected 29 chronic cannabis users who began using cannabis before 16 years of age and matched them to 28 healthy volunteers in terms of age, educational level and IQ. Participants were male, Caucasians aged between 18 and 30 years. All were assessed by a structured psychiatric interview (PRISM) to exclude any lifetime Axis-I disorder according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders-Fourth Edition. COMT genotyping was performed and structural magnetic resonance imaging data was analyzed by voxel-based morphometry. The results showed that the COMT polymorphism influenced the volume of the bilateral ventral caudate nucleus in both groups, but in an opposite direction: more copies of val allele led to lesser volume in chronic cannabis users and more volume in controls. The opposite pattern was found in left amygdala. There were no effects of COMT genotype on volumes of the whole brain or the other selected regions. Our findings support recent reports of neuroanatomical changes associated with cannabis use and, for the first time, reveal that these changes may be influenced by the COMT genotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albert Batalla
- Department of Psychiatry; Clinical Institute of Neuroscience; Hospital Clínic, IDIBAPS, CIBERSAM; Spain
- Department of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychobiology; University of Barcelona; Spain
| | - Carles Soriano-Mas
- CRC Mar; Hospital del Mar; Spain
- Department of Psychiatry; Bellvitge University Hospital-IDIBELL, CIBERSAM; Spain
| | | | - Marta Torrens
- Neuroscience Program; IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute)-INAD-Parc de Salut Mar, Autonomous University of Barcelona and Pompeu Fabra University; Spain
- Red de Trastornos Adictivos (RETIC); IMIM-INAD-Parc de Salut Mar; Spain
| | - José A. Crippa
- Neuroscience and Cognitive Behavior Department; University of Sao Paulo; Brazil
- INCT Translational Medicine (INCT-TM, CNPq); Brazil
| | - Sagnik Bhattacharyya
- Department of Psychosis Studies; King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry; UK
| | | | - Ana B. Fagundo
- Neuroscience Program; IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute)-INAD-Parc de Salut Mar, Autonomous University of Barcelona and Pompeu Fabra University; Spain
| | - Ben J. Harrison
- CRC Mar; Hospital del Mar; Spain
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre; Department of Psychiatry; The University of Melbourne & Melbourne Health; Australia
| | - Santiago Nogué
- Clinical Toxicology Unit; Emergency Department; Hospital Clínic, IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona; Spain
| | - Rafael de la Torre
- Neuroscience Program; IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute)-INAD-Parc de Salut Mar, Autonomous University of Barcelona and Pompeu Fabra University; Spain
- CIBEROBN; Spain
| | - Magí Farré
- Neuroscience Program; IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute)-INAD-Parc de Salut Mar, Autonomous University of Barcelona and Pompeu Fabra University; Spain
- Red de Trastornos Adictivos (RETIC); IMIM-INAD-Parc de Salut Mar; Spain
| | | | - Rocío Martín-Santos
- Department of Psychiatry; Clinical Institute of Neuroscience; Hospital Clínic, IDIBAPS, CIBERSAM; Spain
- Department of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychobiology; University of Barcelona; Spain
- Neuroscience Program; IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute)-INAD-Parc de Salut Mar, Autonomous University of Barcelona and Pompeu Fabra University; Spain
- Neuroscience and Cognitive Behavior Department; University of Sao Paulo; Brazil
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29
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Cannabis use is quantitatively associated with nucleus accumbens and amygdala abnormalities in young adult recreational users. J Neurosci 2014; 34:5529-38. [PMID: 24741043 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.4745-13.2014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 186] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the United States, but little is known about its effects on the human brain, particularly on reward/aversion regions implicated in addiction, such as the nucleus accumbens and amygdala. Animal studies show structural changes in brain regions such as the nucleus accumbens after exposure to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, but less is known about cannabis use and brain morphometry in these regions in humans. We collected high-resolution MRI scans on young adult recreational marijuana users and nonusing controls and conducted three independent analyses of morphometry in these structures: (1) gray matter density using voxel-based morphometry, (2) volume (total brain and regional volumes), and (3) shape (surface morphometry). Gray matter density analyses revealed greater gray matter density in marijuana users than in control participants in the left nucleus accumbens extending to subcallosal cortex, hypothalamus, sublenticular extended amygdala, and left amygdala, even after controlling for age, sex, alcohol use, and cigarette smoking. Trend-level effects were observed for a volume increase in the left nucleus accumbens only. Significant shape differences were detected in the left nucleus accumbens and right amygdala. The left nucleus accumbens showed salient exposure-dependent alterations across all three measures and an altered multimodal relationship across measures in the marijuana group. These data suggest that marijuana exposure, even in young recreational users, is associated with exposure-dependent alterations of the neural matrix of core reward structures and is consistent with animal studies of changes in dendritic arborization.
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30
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Osman NA, Mahmoud AH, Klein CD, Allarà M, Di Marzo V, Abouzid KM, Abadi AH. Naphthalene and 2,3-dihydrobenzo[b][1,4]dioxine derivatives with extended side chains as new scaffolds of CB2-selective ligands. MEDCHEMCOMM 2014. [DOI: 10.1039/c4md00232f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Herein, we report the synthesis of naphthalene, dihydrobenzodioxine and fluorene derivatives with extended side chains and their biological evaluation as ligands of CB1 and CB2 receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noha A. Osman
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Biotechnology
- German University in Cairo
- Cairo 11835, Egypt
| | - Amr H. Mahmoud
- Pharmaceutical Chemistry Department
- Faculty of Pharmacy
- Ain Shams University
- Cairo 11566, Egypt
| | - Christian D. Klein
- Medicinal Chemistry
- Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology IPMB
- Heidelberg University
- 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Marco Allarà
- Endocannabinoid Research Group
- Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche
- Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Di Marzo
- Endocannabinoid Research Group
- Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche
- Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Khaled M. Abouzid
- Pharmaceutical Chemistry Department
- Faculty of Pharmacy
- Ain Shams University
- Cairo 11566, Egypt
| | - Ashraf H. Abadi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Biotechnology
- German University in Cairo
- Cairo 11835, Egypt
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Cannabis use and brain structural alterations of the cingulate cortex in early psychosis. Psychiatry Res 2013; 214:102-8. [PMID: 24054726 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2013.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2012] [Revised: 06/13/2013] [Accepted: 06/14/2013] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
As cannabis use is more frequent in patients with psychosis than in the general population and is known to be a risk factor for psychosis, the question arises whether cannabis contributes to recently detected brain volume reductions in schizophrenic psychoses. This study is the first to investigate how cannabis use is related to the cingulum volume, a brain region involved in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia, in a sample of both at-risk mental state (ARMS) and first episode psychosis (FEP) subjects. A cross-sectional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study of manually traced cingulum in 23 FEP and 37 ARMS subjects was performed. Cannabis use was assessed with the Basel Interview for Psychosis. By using repeated measures analyses of covariance, we investigated whether current cannabis use is associated with the cingulum volume, correcting for age, gender, alcohol consumption, whole brain volume and antipsychotic medication. There was a significant three-way interaction between region (anterior/posterior cingulum), hemisphere (left/right cingulum) and cannabis use (yes/no). Post-hoc analyses revealed that this was due to a significant negative effect of cannabis use on the volume of the posterior cingulum which was independent of the hemisphere and diagnostic group and all other covariates we controlled for. In the anterior cingulum, we found a significant negative effect only for the left hemisphere, which was again independent of the diagnostic group. Overall, we found negative associations of current cannabis use with grey matter volume of the cingulate cortex, a region rich in cannabinoid CB1 receptors. As this finding has not been consistently found in healthy controls, it might suggest that both ARMS and FEP subjects are particularly sensitive to exogenous activation of these receptors.
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Orr C, Morioka R, Behan B, Datwani S, Doucet M, Ivanovic J, Kelly C, Weierstall K, Watts R, Smyth B, Garavan H. Altered resting-state connectivity in adolescent cannabis users. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE 2013; 39:372-81. [DOI: 10.3109/00952990.2013.848213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
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Zogopoulos P, Vasileiou I, Patsouris E, Theocharis S. The neuroprotective role of endocannabinoids against chemical-induced injury and other adverse effects. J Appl Toxicol 2013; 33:246-64. [DOI: 10.1002/jat.2828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2012] [Revised: 08/31/2012] [Accepted: 09/01/2012] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Panagiotis Zogopoulos
- 1st Department of Pathology, Medical School; National and Kapodistrian University of Athens; Athens; Greece
| | - Ioanna Vasileiou
- 1st Department of Pathology, Medical School; National and Kapodistrian University of Athens; Athens; Greece
| | - Efstratios Patsouris
- 1st Department of Pathology, Medical School; National and Kapodistrian University of Athens; Athens; Greece
| | - Stamatios Theocharis
- 1st Department of Pathology, Medical School; National and Kapodistrian University of Athens; Athens; Greece
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Tanveer R, Gowran A, Noonan J, Keating SE, Bowie AG, Campbell VA. The endocannabinoid, anandamide, augments Notch-1 signaling in cultured cortical neurons exposed to amyloid-β and in the cortex of aged rats. J Biol Chem 2012; 287:34709-21. [PMID: 22891244 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m112.350678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Aberrant Notch signaling has recently emerged as a possible mechanism for the altered neurogenesis, cognitive impairment, and learning and memory deficits associated with Alzheimer disease (AD). Recently, targeting the endocannabinoid system in models of AD has emerged as a potential approach to slow the progression of the disease process. Although studies have identified neuroprotective roles for endocannabinoids, there is a paucity of information on modulation of the pro-survival Notch pathway by endocannabinoids. In this study the influence of the endocannabinoids, anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol, on the Notch-1 pathway and on its endogenous regulators were investigated in an in vitro model of AD. We report that AEA up-regulates Notch-1 signaling in cultured neurons. We also provide evidence that although Aβ(1-42) increases expression of the endogenous inhibitor of Notch-1, numb (Nb), this can be prevented by AEA and 2-arachidonoylglycerol. Interestingly, AEA up-regulated Nct expression, a component of γ-secretase, and this was found to play a crucial role in the enhanced Notch-1 signaling mediated by AEA. The stimulatory effects of AEA on Notch-1 signaling persisted in the presence of Aβ(1-42). AEA was found to induce a preferential processing of Notch-1 over amyloid precursor protein to generate Aβ(1-40). Aging, a natural process of neurodegeneration, was associated with a reduction in Notch-1 signaling in rat cortex and hippocampus, and this was restored with chronic treatment with URB 597. In summary, AEA has the proclivity to enhance Notch-1 signaling in an in vitro model of AD, which may have relevance for restoring neurogenesis and cognition in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riffat Tanveer
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine and Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
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35
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Cheetham A, Allen NB, Whittle S, Simmons JG, Yücel M, Lubman DI. Orbitofrontal volumes in early adolescence predict initiation of cannabis use: a 4-year longitudinal and prospective study. Biol Psychiatry 2012; 71:684-92. [PMID: 22129756 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2011.10.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 132] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2011] [Revised: 10/03/2011] [Accepted: 10/20/2011] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is growing evidence that long-term, heavy cannabis use is associated with alterations in regional brain volumes. Although these changes are frequently attributed to the neurotoxic effects of cannabis, it is possible that some abnormalities might predate use and represent markers of vulnerability. To date, no studies have examined whether structural brain abnormalities are present before the onset of cannabis use. This study aims to determine whether adolescents who have initiated cannabis use early (i.e., before age 17 years) show premorbid structural abnormalities in the amygdala, hippocampus, orbitofrontal cortex, and anterior cingulate cortex. METHODS Participants (n = 121) were recruited from primary schools in Melbourne, Australia, as part of a larger study examining adolescent emotional development. Participants underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging at age 12 years and were assessed for cannabis use 4 years later, at age 16 years. At the follow-up assessment, 28 participants had commenced using cannabis (16 female subjects [57%]), and 93 had not (43 female subjects [46%]). RESULTS Smaller orbitofrontal cortex volumes at age 12 years predicted initiation of cannabis use by age 16 years. The volumes of other regions (amygdala, hippocampus, and anterior cingulate cortex) did not predict later cannabis use. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that structural abnormalities in the orbitofrontal cortex might contribute to risk for cannabis exposure. Although the results have important implications for understanding neurobiological predictors of cannabis use, further research is needed to understand their relationship with heavier patterns of use in adulthood as well as later abuse of other substances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Cheetham
- Orygen Youth Health Research Centre, Centre for Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
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36
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Cousijn J, Wiers RW, Ridderinkhof KR, van den Brink W, Veltman DJ, Goudriaan AE. Grey matter alterations associated with cannabis use: Results of a VBM study in heavy cannabis users and healthy controls. Neuroimage 2012; 59:3845-51. [PMID: 21982932 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2011.09.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 201] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2011] [Revised: 09/19/2011] [Accepted: 09/20/2011] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Janna Cousijn
- ADAPT-lab, Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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Stauffer B, Wallis KT, Wilson SP, Egertová M, Elphick MR, Lewis DL, Hardy LR. CRIP1a switches cannabinoid receptor agonist/antagonist-mediated protection from glutamate excitotoxicity. Neurosci Lett 2011; 503:224-8. [PMID: 21896317 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2011.08.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2011] [Revised: 08/02/2011] [Accepted: 08/22/2011] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
A shared pathology among many neurological and neurodegenerative disorders is neuronal loss. Cannabinoids have been shown to be neuroprotective in multiple systems. However, both agonists and antagonists of the CB(1) cannabinoid receptor are neuroprotective, but the mechanisms responsible for these actions remain unclear. Recently a CB(1) receptor interacting protein, CRIP1a, was identified and found to alter CB(1) activity. Here we show that in an assay of glutamate neurotoxicity in primary neuronal cortical cultures CRIP1a disrupts agonist-induced neuroprotection and confers antagonist-induced neuroprotection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon Stauffer
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Georgia, Georgia Health Sciences University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
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38
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Landucci E, Scartabelli T, Gerace E, Moroni F, Pellegrini-Giampietro DE. CB1 receptors and post-ischemic brain damage: studies on the toxic and neuroprotective effects of cannabinoids in rat organotypic hippocampal slices. Neuropharmacology 2010; 60:674-82. [PMID: 21130785 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2010.11.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2010] [Revised: 11/24/2010] [Accepted: 11/26/2010] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Cannabinoids (CBs) are implicated in a number of physiological and pathological mechanisms in the central nervous system, but their exact role in post-ischemic brain injury is unclear. The toxic and neuroprotective effects of synthetic and endogenous CBs were evaluated in rat organotypic hippocampal slices exposed to 20 min oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) and in gerbils subjected to bilateral carotid occlusion for 5 min. When present in the incubation medium, the synthetic CB agonists WIN 55212-2 and CP 55940 (1-30 μM) and the CB1 agonist ACEA exacerbated CA1 injury induced by OGD, whereas the CB1 receptor antagonists AM 251 and LY 320135 were neuroprotective with maximal activity at 1 μM. AM 251 (at 3 mg/kg, i.p.) also attenuated CA1 pyramidal cell death in gerbils in vivo. The endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) reduced OGD injury in hippocampal slices at 0.1-1 μM, whereas anandamide (AEA) was neurotoxic at the same concentrations. The effects of WIN 55212-2, AEA and 2-AG in slices were all dependent on the activation of CB1 but not CB2 receptors, except for the toxic effects of AEA that were also dependent on vanilloid TRPV1 receptors. Our results suggest that exogenous administration of CB1 agonists and the production of endocannabinoids "on demand" may produce different, if not opposite, effects on the fate of neurons following cerebral ischemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Landucci
- Dipartimento di Farmacologia Preclinica e Clinica, Università di Firenze, Firenze, Italy
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39
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Noonan J, Tanveer R, Klompas A, Gowran A, McKiernan J, Campbell VA. Endocannabinoids prevent β-amyloid-mediated lysosomal destabilization in cultured neurons. J Biol Chem 2010; 285:38543-54. [PMID: 20923768 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m110.162040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuronal cell loss underlies the pathological decline in cognition and memory associated with Alzheimer disease (AD). Recently, targeting the endocannabinoid system in AD has emerged as a promising new approach to treatment. Studies have identified neuroprotective roles for endocannabinoids against key pathological events in the AD brain, including cell death by apoptosis. Elucidation of the apoptotic pathway evoked by β-amyloid (Aβ) is thus important for the development of therapeutic strategies that can thwart Aβ toxicity and preserve cell viability. We have previously reported that lysosomal membrane permeabilization plays a distinct role in the apoptotic pathway initiated by Aβ. In the present study, we provide evidence that the endocannabinoid system can stabilize lysosomes against Aβ-induced permeabilization and in turn sustain cell survival. We report that endocannabinoids stabilize lysosomes by preventing the Aβ-induced up-regulation of the tumor suppressor protein, p53, and its interaction with the lysosomal membrane. We also provide evidence that intracellular cannabinoid type 1 receptors play a role in stabilizing lysosomes against Aβ toxicity and thus highlight the functionality of these receptors. Given the deleterious effect of lysosomal membrane permeabilization on cell viability, stabilization of lysosomes with endocannabinoids may represent a novel mechanism by which these lipid modulators confer neuroprotection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janis Noonan
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine and Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland
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40
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Lorenzetti V, Lubman DI, Whittle S, Solowij N, Yücel M. Structural MRI findings in long-term cannabis users: what do we know? Subst Use Misuse 2010; 45:1787-808. [PMID: 20590400 DOI: 10.3109/10826084.2010.482443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
In animal studies, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) has been found to affect brain morphology, particularly within areas rich in cannabinoid receptors (e.g., hippocampus, cerebral cortex). While cannabis remains the most widely used illicit drug worldwide, there has been limited work investigating its effects on human brain tissue. In this paper, we conducted a systematic review of existing structural magnetic resonance imaging studies to examine whether cannabis use is associated with significant changes in brain anatomy. We identified only 13 structural neuroimaging studies, which were diverse in terms of sample characteristics (e.g., age of participants, duration and frequency of use) and methodology (e.g., image analysis). No study found global structural changes in cannabis users, although six studies reported regional alterations. While changes in the hippocampus and parahippocampus were frequently identified, the findings were inconsistent across studies. The available literature also provides some evidence that regional structural changes are associated with cannabis use patterns (particularly cumulative dosage and frequency of use), as well as measures of psychopathology (e.g., measures of depressive and psychotic symptoms). Together, these structural imaging findings suggest that THC exposure does affect brain morphology, especially in medial-temporal regions. Given the small literature available and the limitations of studies to date, further research is clearly required, particularly given the prevalence of cannabis use worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Lorenzetti
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne and Melbourne Health, Victoria, Australia
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41
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Fernández-Ruiz J, García C, Sagredo O, Gómez-Ruiz M, de Lago E. The endocannabinoid system as a target for the treatment of neuronal damage. Expert Opin Ther Targets 2010; 14:387-404. [DOI: 10.1517/14728221003709792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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Abstract
ISSUES Marijuana and hashish consist of at least 66 distinctive plant-derived (phyto-) cannabinoid compounds, with tetrahydrocannabinoids proving the most effective phytocannabinoid psychotropically. Despite the known pharmacological effects of phytocannabinoids, their role in controlling the cell survival/death decision in cells of the CNS continues to be unravelled. APPROACH In this review, we examine the influence of phytocannabinoids on neural cell fate, with particular emphasis on how the time of marijuana exposure (neonatal vs. pubertal vs. adult) might influence the neurotoxic activities of phytocannabinoid compounds. KEY FINDINGS Evidence in the literature indicates that exposure to phytocannabinoids during the prenatal period, in addition to the adolescent period, can alter the temporally ordered sequence of events that occur during neurotransmitter development, in addition to negatively impacting neural cell survival and maturation. Regarding the effect of marijuana consumption on brain composition in adults the evidence is contradictory. IMPLICATIONS Exposure to marijuana during pregnancy might impact negatively on brain structure in the first years of postnatal life. Furthermore, early-onset (before age 17) marijuana use might also have damaging effects on brain composition. CONCLUSION The neonatal and immature CNS is more susceptible to phytocannabinoid damage. In the adult CNS the data are conflicting and the continued development of methods to assess whether marijuana consumption results in brain atrophy or morphometric changes will determine if structural changes are occurring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric J Downer
- Physiology Department, Trinity College Institute for Neuroscience, Dublin, Ireland.
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43
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Gallily R, Even-Chena T, Katzavian G, Lehmann D, Dagan A, Mechoulam R. γ-Irradiation Enhances Apoptosis Induced by Cannabidiol, a Non-psychotropic Cannabinoid, in Cultured HL-60 Myeloblastic Leukemia Cells. Leuk Lymphoma 2009; 44:1767-73. [PMID: 14692532 DOI: 10.1080/1042819031000103917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Two non-psychotropic cannabinoids, cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabidiol-dimethylheptyl (CBD-DMH), induced apoptosis in a human acute myeloid leukemia (AML) HL-60 cell line. Apoptosis was determined by staining with bisBenzimide and propidium iodide. A dose dependent increase of apoptosis was noted, reaching 61 and 43% with 8 microg/ml CBD and 15 microg/ml CBD-DMH, respectively, after a 24 h treatment. Prior exposure of the cells to gamma-irradiation (800 cGy) markedly enhanced apoptosis, reaching values of 93 and 95%, respectively. Human monocytes from normal individuals were resistant to either cannabinoids or gamma-irradiation. Caspase-3 activation was observed after the cannabinoid treatment, and may represent a mechanism for the apoptosis. Our data suggest a possible new approach to treatment of AML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth Gallily
- The Lautenberg Center for General and Tumor Immunology, The Hebrew University Medical Faculty, Ein Kerem Campus, Jerusalem 1120, Israel.
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44
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Gowran A, Campbell VA. A role for p53 in the regulation of lysosomal permeability by Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol in rat cortical neurones: implications for neurodegeneration. J Neurochem 2008; 105:1513-24. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2008.05278.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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45
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Kim SR, Chung YC, Chung ES, Park KW, Won SY, Bok E, Park ES, Jin BK. Roles of transient receptor potential vanilloid subtype 1 and cannabinoid type 1 receptors in the brain: neuroprotection versus neurotoxicity. Mol Neurobiol 2008; 35:245-54. [PMID: 17917113 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-007-0030-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2006] [Revised: 11/30/1999] [Accepted: 01/05/2007] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Transient receptor potential vanilloid subtype 1 (TRPV1), also known as vanilloid receptor 1 (VR1), is a nonselective cation channel that is activated by a variety of ligands, such as exogenous capsaicin (CAP) or endogenous anandamide (AEA), as well as products of lipoxygenases. Cannabinoid type 1 (CB1) receptor belongs to the G protein-coupled receptor superfamily and is activated by cannabinoids such as AEA and exogenous Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). TRPV1 and CB1 receptors are widely expressed in the brain and play many significant roles in various brain regions; however, the issue of whether TRPV1 or CB1 receptors mediate neuroprotection or neurotoxicity remains controversial. Furthermore, functional crosstalk between these two receptors has been recently reported. It is therefore timely to review current knowledge regarding the functions of these two receptors and to consider new directions of investigation on their roles in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sang R Kim
- Brain Disease Research Center, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, 443-479, South Korea
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46
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Youssef FF, Hormuzdi SG, Irving AJ, Frenguelli BG. Cannabinoid modulation of neuronal function after oxygen/glucose deprivation in area CA1 of the rat hippocampus. Neuropharmacology 2007; 52:1327-35. [PMID: 17382973 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2006.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2005] [Revised: 12/12/2006] [Accepted: 12/14/2006] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Endocannabinoids released during cerebral ischemia have been implicated as neuroprotective agents. We assessed the role of cannabinoid receptors in modulating the response of neurons to oxygen/glucose deprivation (OGD), a model for in vitro ischemia, in rat hippocampal slices using extracellular recording techniques. Under control conditions, 15 min OGD resulted in only 50% recovery of CA1 field excitatory postsynaptic potentials (fEPSPs) 60 min post-insult. This post-OGD depression of function was primarily NMDA receptor-dependent as the NMDA receptor antagonist MK-801 (50 microM) promoted recovery of synaptic transmission to 76% of the baseline. Treatment with the CB1 receptor antagonist AM251 (1 microM), which prevented the depression of excitatory synaptic transmission caused by WIN55,212-2 (1 microM), also markedly enhanced recovery of function (71% of control). The enhanced recovery after OGD in the presence of AM251 was independent of both GABA(A) receptors and NMDA receptors since co-application of AM251 with either bicuculline (10 microM) or MK-801 (50 microM) did not alter recovery, or further improved recovery, respectively. These results suggest endocannabinoids released during OGD may modulate synaptic transmission and post-OGD neuronal outcome via activation of an AM251-sensitive cannabinoid receptor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farid F Youssef
- Department of Preclinical Sciences, Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago, W.I.
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Downer EJ, Gowran A, Murphy AC, Campbell VA. The tumour suppressor protein, p53, is involved in the activation of the apoptotic cascade by Delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol in cultured cortical neurons. Eur J Pharmacol 2007; 564:57-65. [PMID: 17379209 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2007.02.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2006] [Revised: 01/30/2007] [Accepted: 02/01/2007] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Cannabis is the most commonly used illegal drug of abuse in Western society. Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol, the psychoactive ingredient of marijuana, regulates a variety of neuronal processes including neurotransmitter release and synaptic transmission. An increasing body of evidence suggests that cannabinoids play a key role in the regulation of neuronal viability. In cortical neurons tetrahydrocannabinol has a neurodegenerative effect, the mechanisms of which are poorly understood, but involve the cannabinoid receptor subtype, CB(1). In this study we report that tetrahydrocannabinol (5 muM) evokes a rapid phosphorylation, and thus activation, of the tumour suppressor protein, p53, in a manner involving the cannabinoid CB(1) receptor, and the stress-activated protein kinase, c-jun N-terminal kinase, in cultured cortical neurons. Tetrahydrocannabinol increased expression of the p53-transcriptional target, Bax and promoted Bcl phosphorylation. These events were abolished by the p53 inhibitor, pifithrin-alpha (100 nM). The tetrahydrocannabinol-induced activation of the pro-apoptotic cysteine protease, caspase-3, and DNA fragmentation was also blocked by pifithrin-alpha. A siRNA knockdown of p53 further verified the role of p53 in tetrahydrocannabinol-induced apoptosis. This study demonstrates a novel cannabinoid signalling pathway involving p53 that culminates in neuronal apoptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric J Downer
- Department of Physiology and Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland
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48
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Sommer C, Schomacher M, Berger C, Kuhnert K, Müller HD, Schwab S, Schäbitz WR. Neuroprotective cannabinoid receptor antagonist SR141716A prevents downregulation of excitotoxic NMDA receptors in the ischemic penumbra. Acta Neuropathol 2006; 112:277-86. [PMID: 16871404 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-006-0110-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2006] [Revised: 06/16/2006] [Accepted: 06/23/2006] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Whether cannabinoids act as neuroprotectants or, on the contrary, even worsen neuronal damage after cerebral ischemia is currently under discussion. We have previously shown that treatment with the cannabinoid (CB1) receptor antagonist SR141716A reduces infarct volume by approximately 40% after experimental stroke. Since it is suggested that SR141716A may exert neuroprotection besides its cannabinoid receptor-blocking effect, we addressed the question whether SR141716A may act via modulation of postischemic ligand binding to excitatory NMDA and/or alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-proprionic acid (AMPA) receptors. For this purpose, rats (n = 12) were treated with either intravenous saline (control) or CB1 receptor antagonist SR141716A (1 mg/kg) 30 min after permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion. Five hours after ischemia, quantitative receptor autoradiography was performed using [(3)H]CP 55,940, [(3)H]MK-801, and [(3)H]AMPA for labeling of CB1, NMDA, and AMPA receptors, respectively. Ligand binding was analyzed within the infarct core, cortical penumbra, and corresponding areas of the contralateral hemisphere and compared to that of sham-operated rats (n = 5). Both in ischemic controls and SR141716A-treated rats [(3)H]CP 55,940 ligand binding was not specifically regulated in the cortical penumbra or contralateral cortex. Importantly, reduced infarct volumes in SR141716A-treated rats were associated with maintained [(3)H]MK-801 binding to excitotoxic NMDA receptors in the penumbra, compared to a decrease in the control group. In summary, our data suggest that SR141716A may possess additional intrinsic neuroprotective properties independent of receptor-coupled pathways or due to action as a partial agonist.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clemens Sommer
- Department of Neuropathology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Langenbeckstrasse 1, 55131 Mainz, Germany.
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Shmist YA, Goncharov I, Eichler M, Shneyvays V, Isaac A, Vogel Z, Shainberg A. Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol protects cardiac cells from hypoxia via CB2 receptor activation and nitric oxide production. Mol Cell Biochem 2006; 283:75-83. [PMID: 16444588 DOI: 10.1007/s11010-006-2346-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2004] [Accepted: 08/22/2005] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the major active component of marijuana, has a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system during stress conditions, but the defence mechanism is still unclear. The present study was designed to investigate the central (CB1) and the peripheral (CB2) cannabinoid receptor expression in neonatal cardiomyoctes and possible function in the cardioprotection of THC from hypoxia. Pre-treatment of cardiomyocytes that were grown in vitro with 0.1 - 10 microM THC for 24 h prevented hypoxia-induced lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage and preserved the morphological distribution of alpha-sarcomeric actin. The antagonist for the CB2 (10 microM), but not CB1 receptor antagonist (10 microM) abolished the protective effect of THC. In agreement with these results using RT-PCR, it was shown that neonatal cardiac cells express CB2, but not CB1 receptors. Involvement of NO in the signal transduction pathway activated by THC through CB2 was examined. It was found that THC induces nitric oxide (NO) production by induction of NO synthase (iNOS) via CB2 receptors. L-NAME (NOS inhibitor, 100 microM) prevented the cardioprotection provided by THC. Taken together, our findings suggest that THC protects cardiac cells against hypoxia via CB2 receptor activation by induction of NO production. An NO mechanism occurs also in the classical pre-conditioning process; therefore, THC probably pre-trains the cardiomyocytes to hypoxic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yelena A Shmist
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
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Pozzoli G, Tringali G, Vairano M, D'Amico M, Navarra P, Martire M. Cannabinoid agonist WIN55,212-2 induces apoptosis in cerebellar granule cells via activation of the CB1 receptor and downregulation of bcl-xL gene expression. J Neurosci Res 2006; 83:1058-65. [PMID: 16609959 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.20794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
The endogenous cannabinoid system is involved in the regulation of a number of physiologic effects in both the central and peripheral nervous systems. Its role in the control of neuronal cell proliferation has attracted major attention because of its potential implications for new therapeutic strategies. In the present study, we demonstrated that treatment of cultured cerebellar granule cells with the synthetic cannabinoid WIN55,212-2, causes cell-body and nuclear shrinkage, which are hallmarks of neuronal apoptosis, as well as concentration-dependent decrease in cell viability. Staining with the fluorescent nuclear dye, Hoechst 33258, revealed apoptosis in 27.1% and 58.5% of cells exposed to 1 and 10 microM of WIN55,212-2, respectively (P < 0.01 and P < 0.001 vs. control respectively) after 36 hr. After 24 hr of exposure to WIN55,212-2, mRNA levels for the anti-apoptotic gene bcl-xL were reduced to 45.6% of those found in control (P < 0.01). These effects were completely reverted when cells were exposed to the synthetic cannabinoid in the presence of the specific CB1-receptor antagonist, SR141716A (1 microM). Moreover, the pro-apoptotic effect of 10 microM WIN55,212-2 could be reduced by the addition to the incubation medium of a cell-permeant inhibitor of caspase-1 (50 nM). Finally, WIN55,212-2 significantly increased caspase-1 activity after 24 hr. These findings show that the activation of CB1 receptors on cerebellar granule cells induces apoptotic cell death, which is associated with downregulation of the anti-apoptotic gene, bcl-xL, and at least in part, activation of caspase-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giacomo Pozzoli
- Institute of Pharmacology, Catholic University School of Medicine, Rome, Italy
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