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Salazar AL, Centanni SW. Sex Differences in Mouse Models of Voluntary Alcohol Drinking and Abstinence-Induced Negative Emotion. Alcohol 2024:S0741-8329(24)00098-3. [PMID: 39053705 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2024.07.004] [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: 04/15/2024] [Revised: 07/03/2024] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is a growing problem worldwide, causing an incredible burden on health and the economy. Though AUD impacts people of all backgrounds and demographics, increasing evidence has suggested robust sex differences in alcohol drinking patterns and AUD-induced negative emotionality or hyperkatifeia. Rates of problematic drinking have significantly risen among women, and women face more severe negative emotional consequences in abstinence such as increased risk of comorbidity with an anxiety or mood disorder and more severe symptoms of depression. As such, a bevy of preclinical literature using contingent methods of alcohol (ethanol) consumption has amassed in recent years to better understand sex as a biological variable in alcohol drinking and abstinence-induced negative emotionality. Mice are widely used to model alcohol drinking, as they are conducive to genetic manipulation strategies, and many strains will voluntarily consume alcohol. Sex-specific results from these mouse studies, however, have been inconsistent. Therefore, this review aims to summarize the current knowledge on sex differences in AUD-related contingent ethanol drinking and abstinence-induced negative emotionality in mice. Various contingent mouse drinking models and negative emotional-based behavioral paradigms are introduced and subsequently discussed in the context of sex differences to show increasing indications of sex specificity in mouse preclinical studies of AUD. With this review, we hope to inform future research on potential sex differences in preclinical mouse models of AUD and provide mounting evidence supporting the need for more widespread inclusion of preclinical female subjects in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda L Salazar
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27101, USA
| | - Samuel W Centanni
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27101, USA.
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2
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Raïch I, Lillo J, Rivas-Santisteban R, Rebassa JB, Capó T, Santandreu M, Cubeles-Juberias E, Reyes-Resina I, Navarro G. Potential of CBD Acting on Cannabinoid Receptors CB 1 and CB 2 in Ischemic Stroke. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6708. [PMID: 38928415 PMCID: PMC11204117 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25126708] [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: 04/03/2024] [Revised: 06/06/2024] [Accepted: 06/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Stroke is one of the leading causes of death. It not only affects adult people but also many children. It is estimated that, every year, 15 million people suffer a stroke worldwide. Among them, 5 million people die, while 5 million people are left permanently disabled. In this sense, the research to find new treatments should be accompanied with new therapies to combat neuronal death and to avoid developing cognitive impairment and dementia. Phytocannabinoids are among the compounds that have been used by mankind for the longest period of history. Their beneficial effects such as pain regulation or neuroprotection are widely known and make them possible therapeutic agents with high potential. These compounds bind cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2. Unfortunately, the psychoactive side effect has displaced them in the vast majority of areas. Thus, progress in the research and development of new compounds that show efficiency as neuroprotectors without this psychoactive effect is essential. On the one hand, these compounds could selectively bind the CB2 receptor that does not show psychoactive effects and, in glia, has opened new avenues in this field of research, shedding new light on the use of cannabinoid receptors as therapeutic targets to combat neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease, or stroke. On the other hand, a new possibility lies in the formation of heteromers containing cannabinoid receptors. Heteromers are new functional units that show new properties compared to the individual protomers. Thus, they represent a new possibility that may offer the beneficial effects of cannabinoids devoid of the unwanted psychoactive effect. Nowadays, the approval of a mixture of CBD (cannabidiol) and Δ9-THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) to treat the neuropathic pain and spasticity in multiple sclerosis or purified cannabidiol to combat pediatric epilepsy have opened new therapeutic possibilities in the field of cannabinoids and returned these compounds to the front line of research to treat pathologies as relevant as stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iu Raïch
- Department of Biochemistry and Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; (I.R.); (J.B.R.); (T.C.); (M.S.); (E.C.-J.)
- Centro de Investigación en Red, Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28031 Madrid, Spain; (J.L.); (R.R.-S.)
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona (NeuroUB), Campus Mundet, Passeig de la Vall d’Hebron 171, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jaume Lillo
- Centro de Investigación en Red, Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28031 Madrid, Spain; (J.L.); (R.R.-S.)
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona (NeuroUB), Campus Mundet, Passeig de la Vall d’Hebron 171, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine, School of Biology, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rafael Rivas-Santisteban
- Centro de Investigación en Red, Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28031 Madrid, Spain; (J.L.); (R.R.-S.)
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona (NeuroUB), Campus Mundet, Passeig de la Vall d’Hebron 171, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine, School of Biology, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Joan Biel Rebassa
- Department of Biochemistry and Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; (I.R.); (J.B.R.); (T.C.); (M.S.); (E.C.-J.)
- Centro de Investigación en Red, Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28031 Madrid, Spain; (J.L.); (R.R.-S.)
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona (NeuroUB), Campus Mundet, Passeig de la Vall d’Hebron 171, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Toni Capó
- Department of Biochemistry and Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; (I.R.); (J.B.R.); (T.C.); (M.S.); (E.C.-J.)
- Centro de Investigación en Red, Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28031 Madrid, Spain; (J.L.); (R.R.-S.)
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona (NeuroUB), Campus Mundet, Passeig de la Vall d’Hebron 171, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Montserrat Santandreu
- Department of Biochemistry and Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; (I.R.); (J.B.R.); (T.C.); (M.S.); (E.C.-J.)
| | - Erik Cubeles-Juberias
- Department of Biochemistry and Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; (I.R.); (J.B.R.); (T.C.); (M.S.); (E.C.-J.)
| | - Irene Reyes-Resina
- Department of Biochemistry and Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; (I.R.); (J.B.R.); (T.C.); (M.S.); (E.C.-J.)
- Centro de Investigación en Red, Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28031 Madrid, Spain; (J.L.); (R.R.-S.)
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona (NeuroUB), Campus Mundet, Passeig de la Vall d’Hebron 171, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gemma Navarro
- Department of Biochemistry and Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; (I.R.); (J.B.R.); (T.C.); (M.S.); (E.C.-J.)
- Centro de Investigación en Red, Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28031 Madrid, Spain; (J.L.); (R.R.-S.)
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona (NeuroUB), Campus Mundet, Passeig de la Vall d’Hebron 171, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
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3
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Rein JL, Mackie K, Kleyman TR, Satlin LM. Cannabinoid receptor type 1 activation causes a water diuresis by inducing an acute central diabetes insipidus in mice. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol 2024; 326:F917-F930. [PMID: 38634131 DOI: 10.1152/ajprenal.00320.2022] [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: 01/03/2023] [Revised: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Cannabis and synthetic cannabinoid consumption are increasing worldwide. Cannabis contains numerous phytocannabinoids that act on the G protein-coupled cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1R) and cannabinoid receptor type 2 expressed throughout the body, including the kidney. Essentially every organ, including the kidney, produces endocannabinoids, which are endogenous ligands to these receptors. Cannabinoids acutely increase urine output in rodents and humans, thus potentially influencing total body water and electrolyte homeostasis. As the kidney collecting duct (CD) regulates total body water, acid/base, and electrolyte balance through specific functions of principal cells (PCs) and intercalated cells (ICs), we examined the cell-specific immunolocalization of CB1R in the mouse CD. Antibodies against either the C-terminus or N-terminus of CB1R consistently labeled aquaporin 2 (AQP2)-negative cells in the cortical and medullary CD and thus presumably ICs. Given the well-established role of ICs in urinary acidification, we used a clearance approach in mice that were acid loaded with 280 mM NH4Cl for 7 days and nonacid-loaded mice treated with the cannabinoid receptor agonist WIN55,212-2 (WIN) or a vehicle control. Although WIN had no effect on urinary acidification, these WIN-treated mice had less apical + subapical AQP2 expression in PCs compared with controls and developed acute diabetes insipidus associated with the excretion of large volumes of dilute urine. Mice maximally concentrated their urine when WIN and 1-desamino-8-d-arginine vasopressin [desmopressin (DDAVP)] were coadministered, consistent with central rather than nephrogenic diabetes insipidus. Although ICs express CB1R, the physiological role of CB1R in this cell type remains to be determined.NEW & NOTEWORTHY The CB1R agonist WIN55,212-2 induces central diabetes insipidus in mice. This research integrates existing knowledge regarding the diuretic effects of cannabinoids and the influence of CB1R on vasopressin secretion while adding new mechanistic insights about total body water homeostasis. Our findings provide a deeper understanding about the potential clinical impact of cannabinoids on human physiology and may help identify targets for novel therapeutics to treat water and electrolyte disorders such as hyponatremia and volume overload.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua L Rein
- Renal Section, Department of Medicine, James J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bronx, New York, United States
- Barbara T. Murphy Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, United States
| | - Ken Mackie
- Gill Center for Biomolecular Medicine, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, United States
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, United States
| | - Thomas R Kleyman
- Renal-Electrolyte Division, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Lisa M Satlin
- Department of Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, United States
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O'Donohue MP, Amir Hamzah K, Nichols D, Ney LJ. Trauma film viewing and intrusive memories: Relationship between salivary alpha amylase, endocannabinoids, and cortisol. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2024; 164:107007. [PMID: 38503195 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2024.107007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 01/14/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
The endogenous cannabinoid (ECB) system is a small molecule lipid signalling system that is involved in stress response activation and is associated with PTSD, but it is unclear whether salivary ECBs are part of the sympathetic nervous system response to stress. We conducted an adapted trauma film paradigm, where participants completed a cold pressor test (or control) while watching a 10-minute trauma film. We also collected saliva and hair samples and tested them for ECBs, cortisol, and salivary alpha amylase (sAA). As hypothesised, there were significant positive correlations between sAA activity and salivary ECB levels, particularly 2-arachidonoyl glycerol (2-AG), though ECBs were not correlated with sAA stress reactivity. Participants who had a significant cortisol response to the trauma film/stressor reported less intrusive memories, which were also less distressing and less vivid. This effect was moderated by arachidonoyl ethanolamide (AEA), where decreases in AEA post-stress were associated with more intrusive memories in cortisol non-responders only. This study provides new evidence for the role of ECBs in the sympathetic nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew P O'Donohue
- School of Psychology and Counselling, Queensland University of Technology, Australia
| | - Khalisa Amir Hamzah
- School of Psychology and Counselling, Queensland University of Technology, Australia
| | - David Nichols
- Central Science Laboratory, University of Tasmania, Australia
| | - Luke J Ney
- School of Psychology and Counselling, Queensland University of Technology, Australia.
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5
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Bloemhof-Bris E, Meiri D, Sulimani L, Genesh SN, Wexler G, Cohen I, Salama A, Burshtein I, Hirschmann S, Feffer K, Weizman S, Stryjer R, Shelef A. Alterations in plasma endocannabinoid concentrations among individuals with major depression treated with electroconvulsive therapy. Psychiatry Res 2024; 337:115967. [PMID: 38796933 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2024.115967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 05/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
The role of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) in depression and suicidality has recently emerged. The purpose of the study was to identify changes in plasma endocannabinoid concentrations of several endocannabinoids and correlate them with depressive symptoms and suicidality in patients with severe major depression undergoing electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). The study included 17 patients that were evaluated in four visits at different stages of therapy. At each visit depression, anxiety and suicidality symptoms were assessed and blood samples collected. Several endocannabinoid concentrations increased following six sessions of ECT, as 2-AG (p < 0.05) and LEA (p < 0.01), and following twelve sessions of ECT, as 2-AG (p < 0.05), AEA (p < 0.05), LEA (p < 0.05) and DH-Gly (p < 0.05). Endocannabinoids also correlated with symptoms of depression, anxiety and suicidality at baseline and at the sixth ECT session. Finally, we found one endocannabinoid, l-Gly, that differentiated between remitted and not-remitted patients at the seventh and thirteenth ECT sessions (p < 0.05). Our findings suggest that depression is markedly related to imbalance of the endocannabinoid system, and further regulated by ECT. Plasma endocannabinoids could be promising biomarkers for detection of depression response and remission.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David Meiri
- The Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Cannabinoid Research, Faculty of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Liron Sulimani
- Department of Biology, The Kleifeld Laboratory, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | | | - Gay Wexler
- Lev Hasharon Mental Health Center, Tzur Moshe, Israel
| | - Itzhak Cohen
- Department of Health Promotion, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Anas Salama
- Lev Hasharon Mental Health Center, Tzur Moshe, Israel
| | | | - Shmuel Hirschmann
- Lev Hasharon Mental Health Center, Tzur Moshe, Israel; Departement of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Kfir Feffer
- Lev Hasharon Mental Health Center, Tzur Moshe, Israel; Departement of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Shira Weizman
- Departement of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Abarbanel Mental Health Center, Bat Yam, Israel
| | - Rafael Stryjer
- Departement of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Abarbanel Mental Health Center, Bat Yam, Israel
| | - Assaf Shelef
- Lev Hasharon Mental Health Center, Tzur Moshe, Israel; Departement of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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6
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Andersen SL. Increasing CB2 Receptor Activity after Early Life Stress Prevents Depressive Behavior in Female Rats. Biomolecules 2024; 14:464. [PMID: 38672480 PMCID: PMC11047932 DOI: 10.3390/biom14040464] [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: 01/10/2024] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Early adversity, the loss of the inhibitory GABAergic interneuron parvalbumin, and elevated neuroinflammation are associated with depression. Individuals with a maltreatment history initiate medicinal cannabis use earlier in life than non-maltreated individuals, suggesting self-medication. Female rats underwent maternal separation (MS) between 2 and 20 days of age to model early adversity or served as colony controls. The prelimbic cortex and behavior were examined to determine whether MS alters the cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2), which has anti-inflammatory properties. A reduction in the CB2-associated regulatory enzyme MARCH7 leading to increased NLRP3 was observed with Western immunoblots in MS females. Immunohistochemistry with stereology quantified numbers of parvalbumin-immunoreactive cells and CB2 at 25, 40, and 100 days of age, revealing that the CB2 receptor associated with PV neurons initially increases at P25 and subsequently decreases by P40 in MS animals, with no change in controls. Confocal and triple-label microscopy suggest colocalization of these CB2 receptors to microglia wrapped around the parvalbumin neuron. Depressive-like behavior in MS animals was elevated at P40 and reduced with the CB2 agonist HU-308 or a CB2-overexpressing lentivirus microinjected into the prelimbic cortex. These results suggest that increasing CB2 expression by P40 in the prelimbic cortex prevents depressive behavior in MS female rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan L Andersen
- Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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Aukema RJ, Baglot SL, Scheufen J, Lightfoot SH, Hill MN. Circadian Influence on Acute Stress-induced Changes in Cortico-limbic Endocannabinoid Levels in Adult Male Rats. Neuroscience 2024; 537:84-92. [PMID: 38006961 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2023.11.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/27/2023]
Abstract
The endocannabinoid (eCB) system plays an important role in regulating the stress response, including glucocorticoid release and the generation of avoidance behaviour. Its two major ligands, 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) and N-arachidonoylethanolamine (anandamide; AEA), are dynamically influenced by psychological stress to gate the generation of the stress response and facilitate recovery upon stress termination. Many biological systems exhibit circadian "daily" rhythms, including glucocorticoids and endocannabinoids, and the behavioural and endocrine impact of stress is modulated by the time of day. Nonetheless, most preclinical experiments investigating the interaction between stress and endocannabinoids occur in the light, "inactive" phase. We therefore tested if circadian phase influences stress-induced changes in eCB levels in the hippocampus (HIP), prefrontal cortex (PFC), and amygdala (AMY). Adult male rats were exposed to 15 min swim stress or immediately euthanized, and brains were collected. Testing occurred either early in the light or early in the dark phase of their cycle to compare circadian effects. We found that overall, stress decreased AEA in the AMY and HIP, with an effect in the PFC dependent on the time of day. Conversely, stress increased 2-AG in the AMY, with an effect in the PFC and HIP dependent on the time of day. This suggests that stress has a similar overall impact on eCB levels regardless of circadian phase, but that subtle differences may occur depending on the brain region, especially the PFC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert J Aukema
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1, Canada; Mathison Centre for Mental Health, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Samantha L Baglot
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1, Canada; Mathison Centre for Mental Health, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Jessica Scheufen
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1, Canada; Mathison Centre for Mental Health, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Savannah Hm Lightfoot
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1, Canada; Mathison Centre for Mental Health, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Matthew N Hill
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1, Canada; Mathison Centre for Mental Health, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1, Canada; Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1, Canada.
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8
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Nocheva H, Stoynev N, Vodenicharov V, Krastev D, Krastev N, Mileva M. Cannabinoid and Serotonergic Systems: Unraveling the Pathogenetic Mechanisms of Stress-Induced Analgesia. Biomedicines 2024; 12:235. [PMID: 38275406 PMCID: PMC10813752 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12010235] [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: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The perception of "stress" triggers many physiological and behavioral responses, collectively called the stress response. Such a complex process allows for coping with stress and also triggers severe pathology. Because of the multidirectional effect of stress on the body, multiple systems participate in its pathogenesis, with the endogenous cannabinoid and the serotoninergic ones among them. These two systems also take part in the pain perception decrease, known as stress-induced analgesia (SIA), which can then be taken as an indirect indicator of the stress response. The aim of our study was to study the changes in cold SIA (c-SIA) resulting from the exogenous activation of cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1) and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT, serotonin) receptor type 1A (5-HT1A). Various combinations of agonists and/or antagonists of CB1 and 5-HT1A, before or after 1 h of cold exposure, were applied, since we presumed that the exogenous activation of the receptors before the cold exposure would influence the pathogenesis of the stress response, while their activation after the stressful trigger would influence the later development. Our results show that the serotonergic system "maintained" c-SIA in the pre-stress treatment, while the cannabinoids' modulative effect was more prominent in the post-stress treatment. Here, we show the interactions of the two systems in the stress response. The interpretation and understanding of the mechanisms of interaction between CB1 and 5-HT1A may provide information for the prevention and control of adverse stress effects, as well as suggest interesting directions for the development of targeted interventions for the control of specific body responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hristina Nocheva
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Medical Faculty, Medical University, 2 Zdrave Str., 1431 Sofia, Bulgaria; (H.N.); (N.S.)
| | - Nikolay Stoynev
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Medical Faculty, Medical University, 2 Zdrave Str., 1431 Sofia, Bulgaria; (H.N.); (N.S.)
| | - Vlayko Vodenicharov
- Department of Epidemiology and Hygiene, Medical Faculty, Medical University, 2 Zdrave Str., 1431 Sofia, Bulgaria;
| | - Dimo Krastev
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, South-West University “Neofit Rilski”, Blagoevgrad, 66, Ivan Mihaylov Str., 2700 Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria;
| | - Nikolay Krastev
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University, 2, Zdrave Str., 1431 Sofia, Bulgaria;
| | - Milka Mileva
- Institute of Microbiology “Stephan Angeloff”, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 26, Acad. Georgi Bonchev Str., 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
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Fusse EJ, Scarante FF, Vicente MA, Marrubia MM, Turcato F, Scomparin DS, Ribeiro MA, Figueiredo MJ, Brigante TAV, Guimarães FS, Campos AC. Anxiogenic doses of rapamycin prevent URB597-induced anti-stress effects in socially defeated mice. Neurosci Lett 2024; 818:137519. [PMID: 37852528 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2023.137519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
Repeated exposure to psychosocial stress modulates the endocannabinoid system, particularly anandamide (AEA) signaling in brain regions associated with emotional distress. The mTOR protein regulates various neuroplastic processes in the brain disrupted by stress, including adult hippocampal neurogenesis. This kinase has been implicated in multiple effects of cannabinoid drugs and the anti-stress behavioral effects of psychoactive drugs. Therefore, our hypothesis is that enhancing AEA signaling via pharmacological inhibition of the fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) enzyme induces an anti-stress behavioral effect through an mTOR-dependent mechanism. To test this hypothesis, male C57Bl6 mice were exposed to social defeat stress (SDS) for 7 days and received daily treatment with either vehicle or different doses of the FAAH inhibitor, URB597 (0.1; 0.3; 1 mg/Kg), alone or combined with rapamycin. The results suggested that URB597 induced an inverted U-shaped dose-response curve in mice subjected to SDS (with the intermediate dose of 0.3 mg/kg being anxiolytic, and the higher tested dose of 1 mg/Kg being anxiogenic). In a second independent experiment, rapamycin treatment induced an anxiogenic-like response in control mice. However, in the presence of rapamycin, the anxiolytic dose of URB597 treatment failed to reduce stress-induced anxiety behaviors in mice. SDS exposure altered the hippocampal expression of the mTOR scaffold protein Raptor. Furthermore, the anxiogenic dose of URB597 decreased the absolute number of migrating doublecortin (DCX)-positive cells in the dentate gyrus, suggesting an anti-anxiety effect independent of newly generated/immature neurons. Therefore, our results indicate that in mice exposed to repeated psychosocial stress, URB597 fails to counteract the anxiogenic-like response induced by the pharmacological dampening of mTOR signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo J Fusse
- Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, 3900 Bandeirantes Ave, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Franciele F Scarante
- Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, 3900 Bandeirantes Ave, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Maria A Vicente
- Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, 3900 Bandeirantes Ave, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Mariana M Marrubia
- Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, 3900 Bandeirantes Ave, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Flávia Turcato
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, USA
| | - Davi S Scomparin
- Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, 3900 Bandeirantes Ave, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Melissa A Ribeiro
- Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, 3900 Bandeirantes Ave, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Maria J Figueiredo
- Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, 3900 Bandeirantes Ave, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Tamires A V Brigante
- Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, 3900 Bandeirantes Ave, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Francisco S Guimarães
- Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, 3900 Bandeirantes Ave, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Alline C Campos
- Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, 3900 Bandeirantes Ave, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil.
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10
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Hill MN, Haney M, Hillard CJ, Karhson DS, Vecchiarelli HA. The endocannabinoid system as a putative target for the development of novel drugs for the treatment of psychiatric illnesses. Psychol Med 2023; 53:7006-7024. [PMID: 37671673 PMCID: PMC10719691 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291723002465] [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] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023]
Abstract
Cannabis is well established to impact affective states, emotion and perceptual processing, primarily through its interactions with the endocannabinoid system. While cannabis use is quite prevalent in many individuals afflicted with psychiatric illnesses, there is considerable controversy as to whether cannabis may worsen these conditions or provide some form of therapeutic benefit. The development of pharmacological agents which interact with components of the endocannabinoid system in more localized and discrete ways then via phytocannabinoids found in cannabis, has allowed the investigation if direct targeting of the endocannabinoid system itself may represent a novel approach to treat psychiatric illness without the potential untoward side effects associated with cannabis. Herein we review the current body of literature regarding the various pharmacological tools that have been developed to target the endocannabinoid system, their impact in preclinical models of psychiatric illness and the recent data emerging of their utilization in clinical trials for psychiatric illnesses, with a specific focus on substance use disorders, trauma-related disorders, and autism. We highlight several candidate drugs which target endocannabinoid function, particularly inhibitors of endocannabinoid metabolism or modulators of cannabinoid receptor signaling, which have emerged as potential candidates for the treatment of psychiatric conditions, particularly substance use disorder, anxiety and trauma-related disorders and autism spectrum disorders. Although there needs to be ongoing clinical work to establish the potential utility of endocannabinoid-based drugs for the treatment of psychiatric illnesses, the current data available is quite promising and shows indications of several potential candidate diseases which may benefit from this approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew N. Hill
- Departments of Cell Biology and Anatomy & Psychiatry, Cumming School of Medicine, Hotchkiss Brain Institute and The Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research and Education, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Margaret Haney
- Department of Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, USA
| | - Cecilia J. Hillard
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Neuroscience Research Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, USA
| | - Debra S. Karhson
- Department of Psychology, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, USA
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11
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Haller J. Anxiety Modulation by Cannabinoids-The Role of Stress Responses and Coping. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:15777. [PMID: 37958761 PMCID: PMC10650718 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242115777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Endocannabinoids were implicated in a variety of pathological conditions including anxiety and are considered promising new targets for anxiolytic drug development. The optimism concerning the potentials of this system for anxiolysis is probably justified. However, the complexity of the mechanisms affected by endocannabinoids, and discrepant findings obtained with various experimental approaches makes the interpretation of research results difficult. Here, we review the anxiety-related effects of the three main interventions used to study the endocannabinoid system: pharmacological agents active at endocannabinoid-binding sites present on both the cell membrane and in the cytoplasm, genetic manipulations targeting cannabinoid receptors, and function-enhancers represented by inhibitors of endocannabinoid degradation and transport. Binding-site ligands provide inconsistent findings probably because they activate a multitude of mechanisms concomitantly. More robust findings were obtained with genetic manipulations and particularly with function enhancers, which heighten ongoing endocannabinoid activation rather than affecting all mechanisms indiscriminately. The enhancement of ongoing activity appears to ameliorate stress-induced anxiety without consistent effects on anxiety in general. Limited evidence suggests that this effect is achieved by promoting active coping styles in critical situations. These findings suggest that the functional enhancement of endocannabinoid signaling is a promising drug development target for stress-related anxiety disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- József Haller
- Drug Research Institute, 1137 Budapest, Hungary;
- Department of Criminal Psychology, University of Public Service, 1082 Budapest, Hungary
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12
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Barrera C, Castillo V, Valenzuela R, Valenzuela CA, Garcia-Diaz DF, Llanos M. Effects on Fetal Metabolic Programming and Endocannabinoid System of a Normocaloric Diet during Pregnancy and Lactation of Female Mice with Pregestational Obesity. Nutrients 2023; 15:3531. [PMID: 37630722 PMCID: PMC10458167 DOI: 10.3390/nu15163531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Fetal programming provides explanatory mechanisms for the currently high prevalence of gestational obesity. The endocannabinoid system (ECS) participates in the regulation of energy balance, and with a high-fat diet (HFD), it is overactivated. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of a nutritional intervention during pregnancy and lactation on obese female progenitors, on metabolic alterations of the offspring and on the involvement of ECS. Female mice (C57/BL/6-F0), 45 days old, and their offspring (males) were separated according to type of diet before and during gestation and lactation: CON-F1: control diet; HFD-F1 group: HFD (fat: 60% Kcal); INT-F1 group: HFD until mating and control diet (fat: 10% Kcal) afterward. Glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity (IS) were tested at 2 and 4 months. At 120 days, mice were sacrificed, plasma was extracted for the determination of hormones, and livers for gene expression and the protein level determination of ECS components. INT-F1 group presented a lower IS compared to CON-F1, and normal levels of adiponectin and corticosterone in relation to the HFD-F1 group. The intervention increased hepatic gene expression for fatty-acid amide hydrolase and monoacylglycerol lipase enzymes; however, these differences were not observed at the protein expression level. Our results suggest that this intervention model normalized some hormonal parameters and hepatic mRNA levels of ECS components that were altered in the offspring of progenitors with pre-pregnancy obesity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cynthia Barrera
- Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago 8380000, Chile; (C.B.); (R.V.); (D.F.G.-D.)
| | - Valeska Castillo
- Laboratory of Nutrition and Metabolic Regulation, Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology (INTA), University of Chile, Santiago 8380453, Chile;
| | - Rodrigo Valenzuela
- Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago 8380000, Chile; (C.B.); (R.V.); (D.F.G.-D.)
| | - Carina A. Valenzuela
- Eating Behavior Research Center, School of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidad de Valparaíso Playa Ancha, Valparaíso 2360102, Chile;
| | - Diego F. Garcia-Diaz
- Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago 8380000, Chile; (C.B.); (R.V.); (D.F.G.-D.)
| | - Miguel Llanos
- Laboratory of Nutrition and Metabolic Regulation, Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology (INTA), University of Chile, Santiago 8380453, Chile;
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13
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Wightman RS, Metrik J, Lin TR, Li Y, Badea A, Almeida R, Collins AB, Beaudoin FL. Cannabis Use Patterns and Whole-Blood Cannabinoid Profiles of Emergency Department Patients With Suspected Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome. Ann Emerg Med 2023; 82:121-130. [PMID: 37479395 PMCID: PMC10363750 DOI: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2023.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/23/2023]
Abstract
STUDY OBJECTIVES The objectives of this study were to characterize the detailed cannabis use patterns (eg, frequency, mode, and product) and determine the differences in the whole-blood cannabinoid profiles during symptomatic versus asymptomatic periods of participants with suspected cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome recruited from the emergency department (ED) during a symptomatic episode. METHODS This is a prospective observational cohort study of participants with symptomatic cyclic vomiting onset after chronic cannabis use. Standardized assessments were conducted to evaluate for lifetime and recent cannabis use, cannabis use disorder, and cannabis withdrawal symptoms. Quantitative whole-blood cannabinoid testing was performed at 2 times, first when symptomatic (ie, baseline) and at least 2 weeks after the ED visit when asymptomatic. The differences in cannabinoid concentrations were compared between symptomatic and asymptomatic testing. The study was conducted from September 2021 to August 2022. RESULTS There was a difference observed between delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol metabolites, but not the parent compound during symptomatic episodes and asymptomatic periods. Most participants (84%) reported using cannabis > once per day (median 3 times per day on weekdays, 4 times per day on weekends). Hazardous cannabis use was universal among participants; the mean cannabis withdrawal discomfort score was 13, indicating clinically significant rates of cannabis withdrawal symptoms with cessation of use. Most participants (79%) previously tried to stop cannabis use, but a few (13%) of them had sought treatment. CONCLUSION Patients presenting to the ED with cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome have high cannabis use disorder scores. Further studies are needed to better understand the influence of THC metabolism and concentrations on symptomatic cyclic vomiting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel S Wightman
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI; Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health at Brown University, Providence, RI.
| | - Jane Metrik
- Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Brown University, School of Public Health, Providence, RI; Providence VA Medical Center, Providence, RI
| | | | - Yu Li
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health at Brown University, Providence, RI
| | - Adina Badea
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Lifespan Academic Medical Center, Rhode Island Hospital, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI
| | - Robert Almeida
- Forensic Toxicology Laboratory, Department of Health, Rhode Island, Providence, RI
| | - Alexandra B Collins
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health at Brown University, Providence, RI
| | - Francesca L Beaudoin
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health at Brown University, Providence, RI
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14
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Ney LJ, Cooper J, Lam GN, Moffitt K, Nichols DS, Mayo LM, Lipp OV. Hair endocannabinoids predict physiological fear conditioning and salivary endocannabinoids predict subjective stress reactivity in humans. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2023; 154:106296. [PMID: 37216738 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Revised: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
On the basis of substantial preclinical evidence, the endogenous cannabinoid system has been proposed to be closely involved in stress reactivity and extinction of fear. Existing human research supports this proposal to some extent, but existing studies have used only a narrow range of tools and biomatrices to measure endocannabinoids during stress and fear experiments. In the present study we collected hair and saliva samples from 99 healthy participants who completed a fear conditioning and intrusive memory task. Subjective, physiological and biological stress reactivity to a trauma film, which later served as unconditional stimulus during fear conditioning, was also measured. We found that salivary endocannabinoid concentrations predicted subjective responses to stress, but not cortisol stress reactivity, and replicated previous findings demonstrating a sex dimorphism in hair and salivary endocannabinoid levels. Hair 2-arachidonoyl glycerol levels were significantly associated with better retention of safety learning during extinction and renewal phases of fear conditioning, while hair concentrations of oleoylethanolamide and palmitoylethanolamide were associated with overall physiological arousal, but not conditional learning, during fear conditioning. This study is the first to test the relationship between hair and salivary endocannabinoids and these important psychological processes. Our results suggest that these measures may serve as biomarkers of dysregulation in human fear memory and stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke J Ney
- School of Psychology and Counselling, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia.
| | - Jack Cooper
- School of Psychology and Counselling, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Gia Nhi Lam
- School of Psychology and Counselling, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Kaylee Moffitt
- Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
| | - David S Nichols
- Central Science Laboratory, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
| | - Leah M Mayo
- Department of Psychiatry, Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research, and Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Canada
| | - Ottmar V Lipp
- School of Psychology and Counselling, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
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15
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Tevosian M, Todorov H, Lomazzo E, Bindila L, Ueda N, Bassetti D, Warm D, Kirischuk S, Luhmann HJ, Gerber S, Lutz B. NAPE-PLD deletion in stress-TRAPed neurons results in an anxiogenic phenotype. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:152. [PMID: 37149657 PMCID: PMC10164145 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02448-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Anandamide (AEA) is an endogenous ligand of the cannabinoid CB1 and CB2 receptors, being a component of the endocannabinoid signaling system, which supports the maintenance or regaining of neural homeostasis upon internal and external challenges. AEA is thought to play a protective role against the development of pathological states after prolonged stress exposure, including depression and generalized anxiety disorder. Here, we used the chronic social defeat (CSD) stress as an ethologically valid model of chronic stress in male mice. We characterized a genetically modified mouse line where AEA signaling was reduced by deletion of the gene encoding the AEA synthesizing enzyme N-acyl-phosphatidylethanolamine-hydrolyzing phospholipase D (NAPE-PLD) specifically in neurons activated at the time of CSD stress. One week after the stress, the phenotype was assessed in behavioral tests and by molecular analyses. We found that NAPE-PLD deficiency in neurons activated during the last three days of CSD stress led to an increased anxiety-like behavior. Investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying this phenotype may suggest three main altered pathways to be affected: (i) desensitization of the negative feedback loop of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, (ii) disinhibition of the amygdala by the prefrontal cortex, and (iii) altered neuroplasticity in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaryta Tevosian
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
- Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research (LIR), Mainz, Germany
| | - Hristo Todorov
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Ermelinda Lomazzo
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Laura Bindila
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Natsuo Ueda
- Department of Biochemistry, Kagawa University School of Medicine, Kagawa, Japan
| | - Davide Bassetti
- Department of Mathematics, Technical University of Kaiserslautern, Kaiserslautern, Germany
- Institute of Physiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Davide Warm
- Institute of Physiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Sergei Kirischuk
- Institute of Physiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Heiko J Luhmann
- Institute of Physiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Susanne Gerber
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Beat Lutz
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany.
- Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research (LIR), Mainz, Germany.
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16
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Dual Cannabinoid and Orexin Regulation of Anhedonic Behaviour Caused by Prolonged Restraint Stress. Brain Sci 2023; 13:brainsci13020314. [PMID: 36831860 PMCID: PMC9954020 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13020314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Revised: 01/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The endocannabinoid and orexin systems share many biological functions, including wakefulness, stress response, reward processing, and mood. While these systems work against one another with respect to arousal, chronic stress-induced downregulation of both systems often leads to anhedonia or the inability to experience pleasure from natural rewards. In the current study, a 24 h restraint stress test (24 h RST) reduced sucrose preference in adult male and female C57BL/6 mice. Prior to the stressor, subsets of mice were intraperitoneally administered cannabinoid and orexin receptor agonists, antagonists, and combinations of these drugs. Restraint mice that received the cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1R) antagonist SR141716A, orexin receptor type 2 (OX2R) agonist YNT-185, and the combination of SR141716A and YNT-185, exhibited less anhedonia compared to vehicle/control mice. Thus, the 24 h RST likely decreased orexin signaling, which was then restored by YNT-185. Receptor colocalization analysis throughout mesocorticolimbic brain regions revealed increased CB1R-OX1R colocalization from SR141716A and YNT-185 treatments. Although a previous study from our group showed additive cataleptic effects between CP55,940 and the dual orexin receptor antagonist (TCS-1102), the opposite combination of pharmacological agents proved additive for sucrose preference. Taken together, these results reveal more of the complex interactions between the endocannabinoid and orexin systems.
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17
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Chu L, Shu Z, Gu X, Wu Y, Yang J, Deng H. The Endocannabinoid System as a Potential Therapeutic Target for HIV-1-Associated Neurocognitive Disorder. Cannabis Cannabinoid Res 2023. [PMID: 36745405 DOI: 10.1089/can.2022.0267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Despite the successful introduction of combined antiretroviral therapy, the prevalence of mild to moderate forms of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) remains high. It has been demonstrated that neuronal injury caused by HIV is excitotoxic and inflammatory, and it correlates with neurocognitive decline in HAND. Endocannabinoid system (ECS) protects the body from excitotoxicity and neuroinflammation on demand and presents a promising therapeutic target for treating HAND. Here, we firstly discuss the potential pathogenesis of HAND. We secondly discuss the structural and functional changes in the ECS that are currently known among HAND patients. We thirdly discuss current clinical and preclinical findings concerning the neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory properties of the ECS among HAND patients. Fourth, we will discuss the interactions between the ECS and neuroendocrine systems, including the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) and hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axes under the HAND conditions. Materials and Methods: We have carried out a review of the literature using PubMed to summarize the current state of knowledge on the association between ECS and HAND. Results: The ECS may be ideally suited for modulation of HAND pathophysiology. Direct activation of presynaptic cannabinoid receptor 1 or reduction of cannabinoid metabolism attenuates HAND excitotoxicity. Chronic neuroinflammation associated with HAND can be reduced by activating cannabinoid receptor 2 on immune cells. The sensitivity of the ECS to HIV may be enhanced by increased cannabinoid receptor expression in HAND. In addition, indirect regulation of the ECS through modulation of hormone-related receptors may be a potential strategy to influence the ECS and also alleviate the progression of HAND due to the reciprocal inhibition of the ECS by the HPA and HPG axes. Conclusions: Taken together, targeting the ECS may be a promising strategy to alleviate the inflammation and neurodegeneration caused by HIV-1 infection. Further studies are required to clarify the role of endocannabinoid signaling in HIV neurotoxicity. Strategies promoting endocannabinoid signaling may slow down cognitive decline of HAND are proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liuxi Chu
- Department of Brain and Learning Science, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China.,Key Laboratory of Child Development and Learning Science (Southeast University), Ministry of Education, Nanjing, China.,Department of Child Development and Education, Research Center for Learning Science, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Zheng Shu
- Clinical Nutrition Department, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Xinpei Gu
- Department of Human Anatomy, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Taian, China
| | - Yan Wu
- Department of Brain and Learning Science, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China.,Key Laboratory of Child Development and Learning Science (Southeast University), Ministry of Education, Nanjing, China.,Department of Child Development and Education, Research Center for Learning Science, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jin Yang
- Department of Child Development and Education, Research Center for Learning Science, Southeast University, Nanjing, China.,Department of Child and Adolescent Hygienics, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Huihua Deng
- Department of Brain and Learning Science, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China.,Key Laboratory of Child Development and Learning Science (Southeast University), Ministry of Education, Nanjing, China.,Department of Child Development and Education, Research Center for Learning Science, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
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18
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Dargahi M, Karimi G, Etemad L, Alavi MS, Roohbakhsh A. Fatty acid amide hydrolase inhibitor URB597 suppressed conditioned and sensitized fear responses in a rat model of post-traumatic stress disorder. LEARNING AND MOTIVATION 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.lmot.2023.101872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
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19
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Expression of type 1 cannabinoid receptor gene in bipolar disorder. J Psychiatr Res 2022; 156:406-413. [PMID: 36323143 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2022.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2021] [Revised: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Endocannabinoid System (ECBs) may have a crucial role in bipolar disorder (BD). Previous reports have not detected abnormalities in the expression of the cannabinoid receptor gene CNR1, encoding for CB1. However, we hypothesized that differentiating between mania and depression may uncover differences in CNR1 expression levels. METHODS We recruited 44 subjects with BD type I (BD-I), in mania (n = 22) and depression (n = 22) and 25 Healthy Controls (HC). CNR1 gene expression was analyzed using a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction from peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Data were analyzed using frequentist non-parametric and Bayesian approaches (generalized location-scale model based on lognormal and gamma distributions). RESULTS Using the frequentist non-parametric approach, the depression group had lower CNR1 expression compared to the mania group (p = 0.004). In addition, there was a negative correlation between CNR1 expression and Hamilton Depression Scale score (rho = -0.37; p = 0.007). Bayesian analyses further revealed that CNR1 expression in the mania group was higher and less variable than among HC (>95% probability), while CNR1 expression in the depression group was lower and more variable than among HC (100% probability). LIMITATIONS Lack of participants with bipolar disorder in the euthymic phase, lack of toxicology screening and evaluation of CNR1 variants. CONCLUSION CNR1 expression is higher and less variable in mania than in depression. It is highly probable that these differences also distinguish individuals in different illness phases from healthy controls. Future studies are needed to clarify the role of the endocannabinoid system in bipolar disorder.
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20
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Andrews CN, Rehak R, Woo M, Walker I, Ma C, Forbes N, Rittenbach K, Hathaway J, Wilsack L, Liu A, Nasser Y, Sharkey KA. Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome in North America: evaluation of health burden and treatment prevalence. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2022; 56:1532-1542. [PMID: 36307209 DOI: 10.1111/apt.17265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Revised: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) is a poorly understood vomiting disorder associated with chronic cannabis use. AIMS To characterise patients experiencing CHS in North America and to obtain a population-based estimate of CHS treatment prevalence in Canada before and during the Covid-19 pandemic METHODS: Internet survey of 157 CHS sufferers in Canada and the United States. Administrative health databases for the province of Alberta (population 5 million) were accessed to measure emergency department (ED) visits for vomiting, with a concurrent diagnostic code for cannabis use. Three time periods of 1 year were assessed: prior to recreational cannabis legalisation (2017-2018), after recreational legalisation (2018-2019) and during the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic (2020-2021). RESULTS Problematic cannabis use (defined as a CUDIT-R score ≥8) was universal among the survey cohort, and 59% and 68% screening for moderate or worse anxiety or depression, respectively. The overall treatment prevalence of CHS across all ages increased from 15 ED visits per 100,000 population (95% CI, 14-17) prior to legalisation, to 21 (95% CI, 20-23) after legalisation, to 32 (95% CI, 31-35) during the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic (p < 0.001). Treatment prevalence among chronic cannabis users was as high as 6 per 1000 in the 16-24 age group. CONCLUSION Survey data suggest patients with CHS almost universally suffer from a cannabis use disorder, which has significant treatment implications. Treatment prevalence in the ED has increased substantially over a very short time period, with the highest rates seen during the Covid-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher N Andrews
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Renata Rehak
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Matthew Woo
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Ian Walker
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Christopher Ma
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Department of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Nauzer Forbes
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Department of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Katherine Rittenbach
- Provincial Addiction and Mental Health Portfolio™, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Joshua Hathaway
- Alberta Health Services/CRISM Prairies, CRISM-AHS Advancement of Analytics in Substance Use, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Lynn Wilsack
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Andy Liu
- Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, Columbia University Medical Centre, New York, New York City, USA
| | - Yasmin Nasser
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Keith A Sharkey
- Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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21
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Lookfong NA, Raup-Konsavage WM, Silberman Y. Potential Utility of Cannabidiol in Stress-Related Disorders. Cannabis Cannabinoid Res 2022; 8:230-240. [PMID: 36409719 PMCID: PMC10061337 DOI: 10.1089/can.2022.0130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The endocannabinoid (eCB) system plays an important role in homeostatic regulation of anxiety and stress responses; however, the eCB system can be disrupted following traumatic stressors. Additionally, traumatic or chronic stressors that occur during adulthood or early life can cause long-lasting disturbances in the eCB system. These alterations interfere with hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function and may be involved in lifelong increased fear and anxiety behaviors as well as increased risk for development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Methods: This review focuses on the implications of trauma and significant stressors on eCB functionality and neural pathways, both in adolescence and into adulthood, as well as the current state of testing for CBD efficacy in treating pediatric and adult patients suffering from stress-induced eCB dysregulation. Articles were searched via Pubmed and included studies examining eCB modulation of stress-related disorders in both clinical settings and preclinical models. Conclusion: Given the potential for lifelong alterations in eCB signaling that can mediate stress responsiveness, consideration of pharmaceutical or nutraceutical agents that impact eCB targets may improve clinical outcomes in stress-related disorders. However, caution may be warranted in utilization of medicinal cannabinoid products that contain delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol due to pronounced euphorigenic effects and potential to exacerbate stress-related behaviors. Other cannabinoid products, such as cannabidiol (CBD), have shown promise in reducing stress-related behaviors in pre-clinical models. Overall, pre-clinical evidence supports CBD as a potential treatment for stress or anxiety disorders resulting from previously stressful events, particularly by reducing fearful behavior and promoting extinction of contextual fear memories, which are hallmarks of PTSD. However, very limited clinical research has been conducted examining the potential effectiveness of CBD in this regard and should be examined further.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole A. Lookfong
- Department of Neural and Behavioral Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | - Yuval Silberman
- Department of Neural and Behavioral Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
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22
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Circadian regulation of memory under stress: Endocannabinoids matter. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 138:104712. [PMID: 35643119 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104712] [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: 02/07/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Organisms ranging from plants to higher mammals have developed 24-hour oscillation rhythms to optimize physiology to environmental changes and regulate a plethora of neuroendocrine and behavioral processes, including neurotransmitter and hormone regulation, stress response and learning and memory function. Compelling evidence indicates that a wide array of memory processes is strongly influenced by stress- and emotional arousal-activated neurobiological systems, including the endocannabinoid system which has been extensively shown to play an integral role in mediating stress effects on memory. Here, we review findings showing how circadian rhythms and time-of-day influence stress systems and memory performance. We report evidence of circadian regulation of memory under stress, focusing on the role of the endocannabinoid system and highlighting its circadian rhythmicity. Our discussion illustrates how the endocannabinoid system mediates stress effects on memory in a circadian-dependent fashion. We suggest that endocannabinoids might regulate molecular mechanisms that control memory function under circadian and stress influence, with potential important clinical implications for both neurodevelopmental disorders and psychiatric conditions involving memory impairments.
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23
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Rapid treatments for depression: Endocannabinoid system as a therapeutic target. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 137:104635. [PMID: 35351488 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Revised: 03/19/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Current first-line treatments for major depressive disorder (MDD), i.e., antidepressant drugs and psychotherapy, show delayed onset of therapeutic effect as late as 2-3 weeks or more. In the clinic, the speed of beginning of the actions of antidepressant drugs or other interventions is vital for many reasons. Late-onset means that depression, its related disability, and the potential danger of suicide remain a threat for some patients. There are some rapid-acting antidepressant interventions, such as sleep deprivation, ketamine, acute exercise, which induce a significant response, ranging from a few hours to maximally one week, and most of them share a common characteristic that is the activation of the endocannabinoid (eCB) system. Activation of this system, i.e., augmentation of eCB signaling, appears to have anti-depressant-like actions. This article puts the idea forward that the activation of eCB signaling represents a critical mechanism of rapid-acting therapeutic interventions in MDD, and this system might contribute to the development of novel rapid-acting treatments for MDD.
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24
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Stacy M, Schulkin J. Suicide: Allostatic regulation and resilience. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2022; 139:105691. [PMID: 35218982 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2022.105691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Suicide is a complex public health problem that is the result of a number of intertwined biopsychosocial factors. The diathesis-stress model suggests that suicide is the result of an interaction between genetic vulnerability and environmental stressors. Chronic stress and trauma contribute to biologic adaptations, including hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis dysregulation, that contribute to the degradation of regulatory mechanisms and promote wear and tear the body, represented by allostatic load (AL). AL has been associated with a number of negative outcomes, including mental health problems and suicide. Fortunately, there are pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions that are effective at reducing AL and reversing its effects. Thus, AL may provide a construct for supporting early risk identification, prevention, and treatment of suicide. AL biomarkers that are amenable to measurable change, effective treatments to reduce AL and perhaps help prevent suicide, and how to best tailor them to the individual and societal levels are important avenues of therapeutic inquiry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meaghan Stacy
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George St., Suite 901, New Haven, CT 06511, USA.
| | - Jay Schulkin
- School of Medicine, University of Washington, 1959 Pacific St NE, Seattle, WA 98105, USA.
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25
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Jamieson BB, Kim JS, Iremonger KJ. Cannabinoid and vanilloid pathways mediate opposing forms of synaptic plasticity in corticotropin-releasing hormone neurons. J Neuroendocrinol 2022; 34:e13084. [PMID: 35034400 DOI: 10.1111/jne.13084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Revised: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Activity-dependent release of retrograde signaling molecules form micro-feedback loops to regulate synaptic function in neural circuits. Single neurons can release multiple forms of these signaling molecules, including endocannabinoids and endovanilloids, which act via cannabinoid (CB) receptors and transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) receptors. In hypothalamic corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) neurons, endocannabinoids acting via CB1 receptors have been shown to play an important role in regulating excitability and hence stress hormone secretion. However, the importance of endovanilloid signaling in CRH neurons is currently unclear. Here, we show that, in response to postsynaptic depolarization, CRH neurons release endocannabinoid/endovanilloid molecules that can activate CB1 and TRPV1 receptors. Activation of CB1 receptors suppresses glutamate neurotransmission whereas activation of TRPV1 enhances spontaneous glutamate transmission. However, the excitatory effects of TRPV1 are normally masked by the inhibitory effects of CB1. When the degradation of the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) was inhibited, this revealed tonic activation of CB1 receptors, suggesting tonic endocannabinoid release. However, we found no evidence for tonic activation of TRPV1 receptors under similar conditions. These findings show that activation of CRH neurons can drive the release of signaling molecules that activate parallel endocannabinoid and endovanilloid receptor pathways to mediate opposing forms of synaptic plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bradley B Jamieson
- Centre for Neuroendocrinology, Department of Physiology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Joon S Kim
- Centre for Neuroendocrinology, Department of Physiology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Karl J Iremonger
- Centre for Neuroendocrinology, Department of Physiology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
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26
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Simone JJ, Green MR, McCormick CM. Endocannabinoid system contributions to sex-specific adolescent neurodevelopment. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2022; 113:110438. [PMID: 34534603 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2021.110438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Revised: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
With an increasing number of countries and states adopting legislation permitting the use of cannabis for medical purposes, there is a growing interest among health and research professionals into the system through which cannabinoids principally act, the endocannabinoid system (ECS). Much of the seminal research into the ECS dates back only 30 years and, although there has been tremendous development within the field during this time, many questions remain. More recently, investigations have emerged examining the contributions of the ECS to normative development and the effect of altering this system during important critical periods. One such period is adolescence, a unique period during which brain and behaviours are maturing and reorganizing in preparation for adulthood, including shifts in endocannabinoid biology. The purpose of this review is to discuss findings to date regarding the maturation of the ECS during adolescence and the consequences of manipulations of the ECS during this period to normative neurodevelopmental processes, as well as highlight sex differences in ECS function, important technical considerations, and future directions. Because most of what we know is derived from preclinical studies on rodents, we provide relevant background of this model and some commentary on the translational relevance of the research in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan J Simone
- Department of Biological Sciences, 1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1, Canada; Centre for Neuroscience, 1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1, Canada; Huxley Health Inc., 8820 Jane St., Concord, ON, L4K 2M9, Canada; eCB Consulting Inc., PO Box 652, 3 Cameron St. W., Cannington, ON L0E 1E0, Canada; Medical Cannabis Canada, 601-3500 Lakeshore Rd. W., Oakville, ON L6L 0B4, Canada.
| | - Matthew R Green
- eCB Consulting Inc., PO Box 652, 3 Cameron St. W., Cannington, ON L0E 1E0, Canada; Medical Cannabis Canada, 601-3500 Lakeshore Rd. W., Oakville, ON L6L 0B4, Canada.
| | - Cheryl M McCormick
- Department of Biological Sciences, 1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1, Canada; Centre for Neuroscience, 1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1, Canada; Department of Psychology, 1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1, Canada.
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27
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Almeida MM, Dias-Rocha CP, Calviño C, Trevenzoli IH. Lipid endocannabinoids in energy metabolism, stress and developmental programming. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2022; 542:111522. [PMID: 34843899 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2021.111522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2021] [Revised: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The endocannabinoid system (ECS) regulates brain development and function, energy metabolism and stress in a sex-, age- and tissue-dependent manner. The ECS comprises mainly the bioactive lipid ligands anandamide (AEA) and 2-aracdonoylglycerol (2-AG), cannabinoid receptors 1 and 2 (CB1 and CB2), and several metabolizing enzymes. The endocannabinoid tonus is increased in obesity, stimulating food intake and a preference for fat, reward, and lipid accumulation in peripheral tissues, as well as favoring a positive energy balance. Energy balance and stress responses share adaptive mechanisms regulated by the ECS that seem to underlie the complex relationship between feeding and emotional behavior. The ECS is also a key regulator of development. Environmental insults (diet, toxicants, and stress) in critical periods of developmental plasticity, such as gestation, lactation and adolescence, alter the ECS and may predispose individuals to the development of chronic diseases and behavioral changes in the long term. This review is focused on the ECS and the developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD).
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Macedo Almeida
- Carlos Chagas Filho Biophysics Institute, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | | | - Camila Calviño
- Carlos Chagas Filho Biophysics Institute, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Isis Hara Trevenzoli
- Carlos Chagas Filho Biophysics Institute, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
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28
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Pabon E, Rockwood F, Norman GJ, de Wit H. Acute effects of oral delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on autonomic cardiac activity and their relation to subjective and anxiogenic effects. Psychophysiology 2022; 59:e13955. [PMID: 34665890 PMCID: PMC8724445 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.13955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Revised: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Cannabis is the most commonly used psychotropic drug in the United States, after alcohol. Despite its apparent sedative and calming effects, cannabis and its main psychoactive constituent, ∆9 -tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) can produce serious adverse effects including tachycardia and anxiety. These effects can be especially pronounced in women, who remain underrepresented in clinical cannabinoid research. The present study is one of the first to characterize the effects of single doses of oral THC on autonomic nervous system function in healthy adult women. Occasional female cannabis users participated in three laboratory sessions in which they received oral THC (7.5 and 15 mg) and placebo. Autonomic measures included heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP), pre-ejection period (PEP) a measure of cardiac sympathetic functioning, and high frequency heart rate variability (HF-HRV) a measure of parasympathetic cardiac control. Autonomic responses were examined in relation to subjective drug effects. THC dose-dependently increased HR, decreased HF-HRV, and increased ratings of feeling a drug effect, cannabis-like intoxication, and anxiety. Although the drug did not significantly affect BP or PEP, HR was negatively related to both PEP and HF-HRV. HF-HRV, the measure of parasympathetic activity, was significantly negatively related to subjective measures of cannabis intoxication (but not anxiety) at the 15 mg dose only. PEP was not significantly related to any subjective measure. These results extend our knowledge of the autonomic effects of THC in relation to subjective drug experience. This and future studies will help us to understand risk factors related to cannabis use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Pabon
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA,Corresponding author: Elisa Pabon, B.S., Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, 5841 S Maryland Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA, Phone: 773-702-7611;
| | | | - Greg J. Norman
- Department of Psychology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Harriet de Wit
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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29
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Mayo LM, Rabinak CA, Hill MN, Heilig M. Targeting the Endocannabinoid System in the Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Promising Case of Preclinical-Clinical Translation? Biol Psychiatry 2022; 91:262-272. [PMID: 34598785 PMCID: PMC11097652 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2021.07.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Revised: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The endocannabinoid (eCB) system is one the most ubiquitous signaling systems of the brain and offers a rich pharmacology including multiple druggable targets. Preclinical research shows that eCB activity influences functional connectivity between the prefrontal cortex and amygdala and thereby influences an organism's ability to cope with threats and stressful experiences. Animal studies show that CB1 receptor activation within the amygdala is essential for extinction of fear memories. Failure to extinguish traumatic memories is a core symptom of posttraumatic stress disorder, suggesting that potentiating eCB signaling may have a therapeutic potential in this condition. However, it has been unknown whether animal findings in this domain translate to humans. Data to inform this critical question are now emerging and are the focus of this review. We first briefly summarize the biology of the eCB system and the animal studies that support its role in fear extinction and stress responding. We then discuss the pharmacological eCB-targeting strategies that may be exploited for therapeutic purposes: direct CB1 receptor activation, using Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol or its synthetic analogs; or indirect potentiation, through inhibition of eCB-degrading enzymes, the anandamide-degrading enzyme fatty acid amide hydrolase; or the 2-AG (2-arachidonoyl glycerol)-degrading enzyme monoacylglycerol lipase. We then review recent human data on direct CB1 receptor activation via Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol and anandamide potentiation through fatty acid amide hydrolase blockade. The available human data consistently support a translation of animal findings on fear memories and stress reactivity and suggest a potential therapeutic utility in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leah M Mayo
- Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Science, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
| | - Christine A Rabinak
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Translational Neuroscience Program, Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Matthew N Hill
- Departments of Cell Biology and Anatomy & Psychiatry, Hotchkiss Brain Institute and the Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research and Education, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Markus Heilig
- Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Science, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
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30
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Ribeiro MA, Aguiar RP, Scarante FF, Fusse EJ, de Oliveira RMW, Guimaraes FS, Campos AC. Spontaneous Activity of CB2 Receptors Attenuates Stress-Induced Behavioral and Neuroplastic Deficits in Male Mice. Front Pharmacol 2022; 12:805758. [PMID: 35126139 PMCID: PMC8814367 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.805758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The monoaminergic theory of depression/anxiety disorders cannot fully explain the behavioral and neuroplastic changes observed after ADs chronic treatment. Endocannabinoid system, which comprises CB2 receptors, has been associated with the chronic effects of these drugs, especially in stressed mice. CB2-KO mice display more vulnerability to stressful stimuli. In the present study, we hypothesized that the behavioral and neuroplastic effects observed after repeated treatment with the AD escitalopram (Esc) in chronically stressed mice depend on CB2 receptor signaling. Male mice submitted to chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) paradigm (21 days) were treated daily with AM630 (0.01; 0.03 or 0.3 mg/kg, i.p) a CB2 receptor antagonist/inverse agonist. At e 19th day of the CUS protocol, mice were submitted to Open field test and Tail-suspension test to evaluate antidepressant-like behavior. At the end of the stress protocol, mice were submitted to Novel Suppressed Feeding test (day 22nd) to evaluate anxiety-like behavior. In a second series of experiments, male mice treated with Esc (10 mg/kg, daily, 21 days) in the presence or not of AM630 (0.30 mg/kg) were submitted to the same round of behavioral tests in the same conditions as performed in the dose-response curve protocol. Animals were then euthanized under deep anesthesia, and their brains/hippocampi removed for immunohistochemistry (Doublecortin-DCX) or Western Blot assay. Our results demonstrated that chronic treatment with AM630, a CB2 antagonist/inverse agonist, induces anxiolytic-like effects in stressed mice. Moreover, chronic reduction of CB2 receptor endogenous activity by AM630 attenuated the neuroplastic (potentiating stress-induced decreased expression of pro-BDNF, but enhanced pmTOR and DAGL expression in the hippocampus reduced in stressed mice), the antidepressant- but not the anxiolytic-like effects of Esc. AM630 alone or in combination with Esc decreased the expression of DCX + cell in both the subgranular and granular layers of the dentate gyrus (DG), indicating a general reduction of DCX + neuroblasts and a decrease in their migration through the DG layers. We suggest that the antidepressant-like behavior and the pro-neurogenic effect, but not the anxiolytic like behavior, promoted by Esc in stressed mice are, at least in part, mediated by CB2 receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa A. Ribeiro
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, State University of Maringá, Maringá, Brazil
| | - Rafael P. Aguiar
- Department of Pharmacology- Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Franciele F. Scarante
- Department of Pharmacology- Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Eduardo J. Fusse
- Mental Health Graduate Program- Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rubia M. W. de Oliveira
- Department of Pharmacology- Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Francisco S. Guimaraes
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, State University of Maringá, Maringá, Brazil
| | - Alline C Campos
- Pharmacology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- *Correspondence: Alline C Campos,
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31
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Effects of endocannabinoids on feed intake, stress response and whole-body energy metabolism in dairy cows. Sci Rep 2021; 11:23657. [PMID: 34880316 PMCID: PMC8655048 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-02970-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Endocannabinoids, particularly anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), are instrumental in regulating energy homeostasis and stress response. However, little is known about the endocannabinoid system (ECS) in ruminants, although EC could improve dairy health and productivity, at least by increasing feed intake. In this study, we report if intraperitoneal (i.p.) AEA and 2-AG administration affects feed intake, whole-body macronutrient metabolism, isolation and restraint stress, and whether diet composition modulates circulating endocannabinoid concentrations in cows. Twenty Simmental cows in late lactation were fed a grass silage and a corn silage based diet. On each diet, cows received daily i.p. injections with either AEA (5 µg/kg; n = 7), 2-AG (2.5 µg/kg; n = 6) or saline (n = 7) for 8 days. Endocannabinoid administration for 5 days under free-ranging (non-stressed) conditions had no effect on feed intake or energy balance, but attenuated the stress-induced suppression of feed intake when housing changed to individual tie-stalls without social or tactile interaction. Endocannabinoids increased whole-body carbohydrate oxidation, reduced fat oxidation, and affected plasma non-esterified fatty acid concentrations and fatty acid contents of total lipids. There was no effect of endocannabinoids on plasma triglyceride concentrations or hepatic lipogenesis. Plasma AEA concentrations were not affected by diet, however, plasma 2-AG concentrations tended to be lower on the corn silage based diet. In conclusion, endocannabinoids attenuate stress-induced hypophagia, increase short-term feed intake and whole-body carbohydrate oxidation and decrease whole-body fat oxidation in cows.
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32
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Glodosky NC, Cuttler C, McLaughlin RJ. A review of the effects of acute and chronic cannabinoid exposure on the stress response. Front Neuroendocrinol 2021; 63:100945. [PMID: 34461155 PMCID: PMC8605997 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2021.100945] [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] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Revised: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
While cannabis has been used for centuries for its stress-alleviating properties, the effects of acute and chronic cannabinoid exposure on responses to stress remain poorly understood. This review provides an overview of studies that measured stress-related endpoints following acute or chronic cannabinoid exposure in humans and animals. Acute cannabinoid exposure increases basal concentrations of stress hormones in rodents and humans and has dose-dependent effects on stress reactivity in humans and anxiety-like behavior in rodents. Chronic cannabis exposure is associated with dampened stress reactivity, a blunted cortisol awakening response (CAR), and flattened diurnal cortisol slope in humans. Sex differences in these effects remain underexamined, with limited evidence for sex differences in effects of cannabinoids on stress reactivity in rodents. Future research is needed to better understand sex differences in the effects of cannabis on the stress response, as well as downstream impacts on mental health and stress-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Carrie Cuttler
- Department of Psychology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA.
| | - Ryan J McLaughlin
- Department of Psychology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA; Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
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33
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Gazarini L, Stern CA, Takahashi RN, Bertoglio LJ. Interactions of Noradrenergic, Glucocorticoid and Endocannabinoid Systems Intensify and Generalize Fear Memory Traces. Neuroscience 2021; 497:118-133. [PMID: 34560200 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2021.09.012] [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: 06/15/2021] [Revised: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Systemic administration of drugs that activate the noradrenergic or glucocorticoid system potentiates aversive memory consolidation and reconsolidation. The opposite happens with the stimulation of endocannabinoid signaling under certain conditions. An unbalance of these interacting neurotransmitters can lead to the formation and maintenance of traumatic memories, whose strength and specificity attributes are often maladaptive. Here we aimed to investigate whether originally low-intensity and precise contextual fear memories would turn similar to traumatic ones in rats systemically administered with adrenaline, corticosterone, and/or the cannabinoid type-1 receptor antagonist/inverse agonist AM251 during consolidation or reconsolidation. The high dose of each pharmacological agent evaluated significantly increased freezing times at test in the conditioning context one and nine days later when given alone post-acquisition or post-retrieval. Their respective low dose produced no relative changes when given separately, but co-treatment of adrenaline with corticosterone or AM251 and the three drugs combined, but not corticosterone with AM251, produced results equivalent to those mentioned initially. Neither the high nor the low dose of adrenaline, corticosterone, or AM251 altered freezing times at test in a novel, neutral context two and ten days later. In contrast, animals receiving the association of their low dose exhibited significantly higher freezing times than controls. Together, the results indicate that newly acquired and destabilized threat memory traces become more intense and generalized after a combined interference acting synergistically and mimicking that reported in patients presenting stress-related psychiatric conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Gazarini
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil; Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Três Lagoas, MS, Brazil.
| | - Cristina A Stern
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil; Departamento de Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Reinaldo N Takahashi
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Leandro J Bertoglio
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.
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Abstract
The endocannabinoids are lipid-derived messengers that play a diversity of regulatory roles in mammalian physiology. Dysfunctions in their activity have been implicated in various disease conditions, attracting attention to the endocannabinoid system as a possible source of therapeutic drugs. This signaling complex has three components: the endogenous ligands, anandamide and 2-arachidonoyl-sn-glycerol (2-AG); a set of enzymes and transporters that generate, eliminate, or modify such ligands; and selective cell surface receptors that mediate their biological actions. We provide an overview of endocannabinoid formation, deactivation, and biotransformation and outline the properties and therapeutic potential of pharmacological agents that interfere with those processes. We describe small-molecule inhibitors that target endocannabinoid-producing enzymes, carrier proteins that transport the endocannabinoids into cells, and intracellular endocannabinoid-metabolizing enzymes. We briefly discuss selected agents that simultaneously interfere with components of the endocannabinoid system and with other functionally related signaling pathways. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Volume 62 is January 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Piomelli
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, USA; .,Departments of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, USA
| | - Alex Mabou Tagne
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, USA;
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Peñaloza-Sancho V, Pérez-Valenzuela C, Gonzalez C, Jujihara G, Bustos P, Dagnino-Subiabre A. Cannabinoid receptor type 1 modulates the effects of polyunsaturated fatty acids on memory of stressed rats. Nutr Neurosci 2021; 24:583-600. [PMID: 31637966 DOI: 10.1080/1028415x.2019.1659561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Memory and GABAergic activity in the hippocampus of stressed rats improve after n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) supplementation. On the other hand, cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1) strongly regulates inhibitory neurotransmission in the hippocampus. Speculation about a possible relation between stress, endocannabinoids, and PUFAs. Here, we examined whether the effects of PUFAs on memory of chronically stressed rats depends on pharmacological manipulation of CB1 receptors. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were orally supplemented with n-3 (fish oil) or n-6 (primrose oil) PUFAs during chronic restraint stress (CRS) protocol (6 h/day; 21 days). First, we studied if the expression of CB1 receptors in the hippocampus may be affected by CRS and PUFAs supplementation by real-time PCR and immunofluorescence. CRS up-regulated the CB1 expression compared with the non-stressed rats, while only n-3 PUFAs countered this effect. Memory was evaluated in the Morris water maze. Stressed rats were co-treated with PUFAs and/or modulators of CB1 receptor (AM251, antagonist, 0.3 mg/kg/day; WIN55,212-2, agonist, 0.5 mg/kg/day) by intraperitoneal injections. Memory improved in the stressed rats that were treated with AM251 and/or n-3 PUFAs. Supplementation with n-6 PUFAs did not affect memory of stressed rats, but co-treatment with AM251 improved it, while co-treatment with WIN55,212-2 did not affect memory. Our results demonstrate that activity of the CB1 receptors may modulate the effects of PUFAs on memory of stressed rats. This study suggests that endocannabinoids and PUFAs can both become a singular system by being self-regulated in limbic areas, so they control the effects of stress on the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentín Peñaloza-Sancho
- Laboratory of Stress Neurobiology, Institute of Physiology, Center for Neurobiology and Integrative Pathophysiology, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Catherine Pérez-Valenzuela
- Laboratory of Stress Neurobiology, Institute of Physiology, Center for Neurobiology and Integrative Pathophysiology, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Celindo Gonzalez
- Laboratory of Stress Neurobiology, Institute of Physiology, Center for Neurobiology and Integrative Pathophysiology, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - German Jujihara
- Laboratory of Stress Neurobiology, Institute of Physiology, Center for Neurobiology and Integrative Pathophysiology, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Paulina Bustos
- PhD Program in Aquaculture, School of Marine Sciences, Pontifica Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Alexies Dagnino-Subiabre
- Laboratory of Stress Neurobiology, Institute of Physiology, Center for Neurobiology and Integrative Pathophysiology, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
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Hashiesh HM, Jha NK, Sharma C, Gupta PK, Jha SK, Patil CR, Goyal SN, Ojha SK. Pharmacological potential of JWH133, a cannabinoid type 2 receptor agonist in neurodegenerative, neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric diseases. Eur J Pharmacol 2021; 909:174398. [PMID: 34332924 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2021.174398] [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: 04/13/2021] [Revised: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/09/2022]
Abstract
The pharmacological activation of cannabinoid type 2 receptors (CB2R) gained attention due to its ability to mitigate neuroinflammatory events without eliciting psychotropic actions, a limiting factor for the drugs targeting cannabinoid type 1 receptors (CB1R). Therefore, ligands activating CB2R are receiving enormous importance for therapeutic targeting in numerous neurological diseases including neurodegenerative, neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders as well as traumatic injuries and neuropathic pain where neuroinflammation is a common accompaniment. Since the characterization of CB2R, many CB2R selective synthetic ligands have been developed with high selectivity and functional activity. Among numerous ligands, JWH133 has been found one of the compounds with high selectivity for CB2R. JWH133 has been reported to exhibit numerous pharmacological activities including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, cardioprotective, hepatoprotective, gastroprotective, nephroprotective, and immunomodulatory. Recent studies have shown that JWH133 possesses potent neuroprotective properties in several neurological disorders, including neuropathic pain, anxiety, epilepsy, depression, alcoholism, psychosis, stroke, and neurodegeneration. Additionally, JWH133 showed to protect neurons from oxidative damage and inflammation, promote neuronal survival and neurogenesis, and serve as an immunomodulatory agent. The present review comprehensively examined neuropharmacological activities of JWH133 in neurological disorders including neurodegenerative, neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric using synoptic tables and elucidated pharmacological mechanisms based on reported observations. Considering the cumulative data, JWH133 appears to be a promising CB2R agonist molecule for further evaluation and it can be a prototype agent in drug discovery and development for a unique class of agents in neurotherapeutics. Further, regulatory toxicology and pharmacokinetic studies are required to determine safety and proceed for clinical evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hebaallah Mamdouh Hashiesh
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, PO Box - 17666, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Niraj Kumar Jha
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Engineering and Technology, Sharda University, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, 201310, India
| | - Charu Sharma
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, PO Box - 17666, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Piyush Kumar Gupta
- Department of Life Science, School of Basic Sciences and Research, Sharda University, Greater Noida, 201310, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Saurabh Kumar Jha
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Engineering and Technology, Sharda University, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, 201310, India
| | - Chandragouda R Patil
- Department of Pharmacology, Delhi Pharmaceutical Sciences & Research University, Pushp Vihar, New Delhi, 110017, India
| | - Sameer N Goyal
- Shri Vile Parle Kelavani Mandal's Institute of Pharmacy, Dhule, 424001, Maharashtra, India
| | - Shreesh K Ojha
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, PO Box - 17666, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.
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37
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Martin EL, Doncheck EM, Reichel CM, McRae-Clark AL. Consideration of sex as a biological variable in the translation of pharmacotherapy for stress-associated drug seeking. Neurobiol Stress 2021; 15:100364. [PMID: 34345636 PMCID: PMC8319013 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2021.100364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Stress is a frequent precipitant of relapse to drug use. Pharmacotherapies targeting a diverse array of neural systems have been assayed for efficacy in attenuating stress-induced drug-seeking in both rodents and in humans, but none have shown enough evidence of utility to warrant routine use in the clinic. We posit that a critical barrier in effective translation is inattention to sex as a biological variable at all phases of the research process. In this review, we detail the neurobiological systems implicated in stress-induced relapse to cocaine, opioids, methamphetamine, and cannabis, as well as the pharmacotherapies that have been used to target these systems in rodent models, the human laboratory, and in clinical trials. In each of these areas we additionally describe the potential influences of biological sex on outcomes, and how inattention to fundamental sex differences can lead to biases during drug development that contribute to the limited success of large clinical trials. Based on these observations, we determine that of the pharmacotherapies discussed only α2-adrenergic receptor agonists and oxytocin have a body of research with sufficient consideration of biological sex to warrant further clinical evaluation. Pharmacotherapies that target β-adrenergic receptors, other neuroactive peptides, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, neuroactive steroids, and the endogenous opioid and cannabinoid systems require further assessment in females at the preclinical and human laboratory levels before progression to clinical trials can be recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin L Martin
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Elizabeth M Doncheck
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Carmela M Reichel
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Aimee L McRae-Clark
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
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38
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Guzman AS, Avalos MP, De Giovanni LN, Euliarte PV, Sanchez MA, Mongi-Bragato B, Rigoni D, Bollati FA, Virgolini MB, Cancela LM. CB1R activation in nucleus accumbens core promotes stress-induced reinstatement of cocaine seeking by elevating extracellular glutamate in a drug-paired context. Sci Rep 2021; 11:12964. [PMID: 34155271 PMCID: PMC8217548 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-92389-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Preclinical models of stress-induced relapse to drug use have shown that the dysregulation of glutamatergic transmission within the nucleus accumbens (NA) contributes notably to the reinstatement of cocaine-seeking behavior in rodents. In this sense, there has been increasing interest in the cannabinoid type-1 receptor (CB1R), due to its crucial role in modulating glutamatergic neurotransmission within brain areas involved in drug-related behaviors. This study explored the involvement of CB1R within the NA subregions in the restraint stress-induced reinstatement of cocaine-conditioned place preference (CPP), as well as in the regulation of glutamatergic transmission, by using a pharmacological approach and the in vivo microdialysis sampling technique in freely moving rats. CB1R blockade by the antagonist/inverse agonist AM251 (5 nmol/0.5 μl/side) or CB1R activation by the agonist ACEA (0.01 fmol/0.5 μl/side), prevented or potentiated restraint stress-induced reinstatement of cocaine-CPP, respectively, after local administration into NAcore, but not NAshell. In addition, microdialysis experiments demonstrated that restraint stress elicited a significant increase in extracellular glutamate in NAcore under reinstatement conditions, with the local administration of AM251 or ACEA inhibiting or potentiating this, respectively. Interestingly, this rise specifically corresponded to the cocaine-associated CPP compartment. We also showed that this context-dependent change in glutamate paralleled the expression of cocaine-CPP, and disappeared after the extinction of this response. Taken together, these findings demonstrated the key role played by CB1R in mediating reinstatement of cocaine-CPP after restraint stress, through modulation of the context-specific glutamate release within NAcore. Additionally, CB1R regulation of basal extracellular glutamate was demonstrated and proposed as the underlying mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea S Guzman
- Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, X5000HUA, Córdoba, Argentina.,Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba (IFEC-CONICET), X5000HUA, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Maria P Avalos
- Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, X5000HUA, Córdoba, Argentina.,Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba (IFEC-CONICET), X5000HUA, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Laura N De Giovanni
- Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba (IFEC-CONICET), X5000HUA, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Pia V Euliarte
- Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba (IFEC-CONICET), X5000HUA, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Marianela A Sanchez
- Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, X5000HUA, Córdoba, Argentina.,Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba (IFEC-CONICET), X5000HUA, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Bethania Mongi-Bragato
- Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, X5000HUA, Córdoba, Argentina.,Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba (IFEC-CONICET), X5000HUA, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Daiana Rigoni
- Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, X5000HUA, Córdoba, Argentina.,Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba (IFEC-CONICET), X5000HUA, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Flavia A Bollati
- Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, X5000HUA, Córdoba, Argentina.,Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba (IFEC-CONICET), X5000HUA, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Miriam B Virgolini
- Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, X5000HUA, Córdoba, Argentina.,Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba (IFEC-CONICET), X5000HUA, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Liliana M Cancela
- Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, X5000HUA, Córdoba, Argentina. .,Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba (IFEC-CONICET), X5000HUA, Córdoba, Argentina.
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39
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Danan D, Todder D, Zohar J, Cohen H. Is PTSD-Phenotype Associated with HPA-Axis Sensitivity?: The Endocannabinoid System in Modulating Stress Response in Rats. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:6416. [PMID: 34203952 PMCID: PMC8232809 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22126416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Revised: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Endocannabinoids play a role in adaptation to stress and regulate the release of glucocorticoids in stressed and unstressed conditions. We recently found that basal corticosterone pulsatility may significantly impact the vulnerability for developing post-traumatic-stress-disorder (PTSD), suggesting that the endocannabinoid system may contribute to its development. To examine this, we exposed rats to predator scent stress (PSS). Behavioral reactions were recorded seven days post-PSS. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was collected from anesthetized rats shortly after PSS exposure to determine the levels of 2-arachidonoyl glycerol (2-AG) and anandamide (AEA). To correlate between endocannabinoids and corticosterone levels, rats were placed in metabolic cages for urine collection. To assess the levels of endocannabinoids in specific brain regions, rats' brains were harvested one day after behavioral analysis for staining and fluorescence quantification. Moreover, 2-AG was elevated in the CSF of PTSD-phenotype rats as compared with other groups and was inversely correlated with corticosterone urinary secretion. Eight days post-PSS exposure, hippocampal and hypothalamic 2-AG levels and hippocampal AEA levels were significantly more reduced in the PTSD-phenotype group compared to other groups. We posit that maladaptation to stress, which is propagated by an abnormal activation of endocannabinoids, mediates the subsequent stress-induced behavioral disruption, which, later, reduces neuronal the expression of endocannabinoids, contributing to PTSD symptomology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dor Danan
- Anxiety and Stress Research Unit, Beer-Sheva Mental Health Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Ministry of Health, Beer-Sheva 8461144, Israel; (D.D.); (D.T.)
| | - Doron Todder
- Anxiety and Stress Research Unit, Beer-Sheva Mental Health Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Ministry of Health, Beer-Sheva 8461144, Israel; (D.D.); (D.T.)
| | - Joseph Zohar
- Post-Trauma Center, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Aviv 5262000, Israel;
| | - Hagit Cohen
- Anxiety and Stress Research Unit, Beer-Sheva Mental Health Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Ministry of Health, Beer-Sheva 8461144, Israel; (D.D.); (D.T.)
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40
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Increased anxiety-like behaviour is an early symptom of vitamin E deficiency that is suppressed by adrenalectomy in rats. Br J Nutr 2021; 125:1310-1319. [PMID: 32475357 DOI: 10.1017/s0007114520001889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
We previously reported that dietary vitamin E deficiency increased anxiety-like behaviour in rats exposed to social isolation. Here, we performed a detailed investigation of this phenomenon and its underlying mechanism. First, we fed Wistar rats with a vitamin E-free diet for 3 d, 1 week or 2 weeks and found an increase in anxiety-like behaviour after 1 and 2 weeks of vitamin E deficiency based on behavioural indicators. Next, we examined the effect of a control diet (150 mg all-racemic α-tocopheryl acetate/kg) on anxiety-like behaviours in rats that received a 4-week vitamin E-free diet. We found that increased anxiety-like behaviour was reversed to control levels after refeeding vitamin E for 7 d but not for 1 or 3 d. Further, anxiety-like behaviour increased or decreased gradually based on the amount of vitamin E intake; however, it had a quicker progression than physical symptoms of vitamin E deficiency. Moreover, rats fed with excess vitamin E (500 mg all-racemic α-tocopherol/kg diet) showed less anxiety-like behaviour than control rats, indicating that vitamin E supplementation is effective for preventing anxiety increase under social isolation stress. Since plasma corticosterone levels were higher in vitamin E-deficient rats, we investigated the effect of adrenalectomy on anxiety-like behaviour and found that adrenal hormones played an essential role in the increased anxiety-like behaviour induced by vitamin E deficiency. In conclusion, increased anxiety-like behaviour is a symptom that emerges earlier than physical vitamin E deficiency and is caused by adrenal hormone-dependent mechanisms.
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Petrie GN, Nastase AS, Aukema RJ, Hill MN. Endocannabinoids, cannabinoids and the regulation of anxiety. Neuropharmacology 2021; 195:108626. [PMID: 34116110 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2021.108626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Cannabis has been used for hundreds of years, with its ability to dampen feelings of anxiety often reported as a primary reason for use. Only recently has the specific role cannabinoids play in anxiety been thoroughly investigated. Here we discuss the body of evidence describing how endocannabinoids and exogenous cannabinoids are capable of regulating the generation and termination of anxiety states. Disruption of the endogenous cannabinoid (eCB) system following genetic manipulation, pharmacological intervention or stress exposure reliably leads to the generation of an anxiety state. On the other hand, upregulation of eCB signaling is capable of alleviating anxiety-like behaviors in multiple paradigms. When considering exogenous cannabinoid administration, cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) agonists have a biphasic, dose-dependent effect on anxiety such that low doses are anxiolytic while high doses are anxiogenic, a phenomenon that is evident in both rodent models and humans. Translational studies investigating a loss of function mutation in the gene for fatty acid amide hydrolase, the enzyme responsible for metabolizing AEA, have also shown that AEA signaling regulates anxiety in humans. Taken together, evidence reviewed here has outlined a convincing argument for cannabinoids being powerful regulators of both the manifestation and amelioration of anxiety symptoms, and highlights the therapeutic potential of targeting the eCB system for the development of novel classes of anxiolytics. This article is part of the special issue on 'Cannabinoids'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gavin N Petrie
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute and the Mathison Centre for Mental Health Education and Research, Departments of Cell Biology and Anatomy & Psychiatry, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Andrei S Nastase
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute and the Mathison Centre for Mental Health Education and Research, Departments of Cell Biology and Anatomy & Psychiatry, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Robert J Aukema
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute and the Mathison Centre for Mental Health Education and Research, Departments of Cell Biology and Anatomy & Psychiatry, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Matthew N Hill
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute and the Mathison Centre for Mental Health Education and Research, Departments of Cell Biology and Anatomy & Psychiatry, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada.
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TGF-β/Smad Signalling in Neurogenesis: Implications for Neuropsychiatric Diseases. Cells 2021; 10:cells10061382. [PMID: 34205102 PMCID: PMC8226492 DOI: 10.3390/cells10061382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Revised: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
TGF-β/Smad signalling has been the subject of extensive research due to its role in the cell cycle and carcinogenesis. Modifications to the TGF-β/Smad signalling pathway have been found to produce disparate effects on neurogenesis. We review the current research on canonical and non-canonical TGF-β/Smad signalling pathways and their functions in neurogenesis. We also examine the observed role of neurogenesis in neuropsychiatric disorders and the relationship between TGF-β/Smad signalling and neurogenesis in response to stressors. Overlapping mechanisms of cell proliferation, neurogenesis, and the development of mood disorders in response to stressors suggest that TGF-β/Smad signalling is an important regulator of stress response and is implicated in the behavioural outcomes of mood disorders.
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Neurobiological Processes Induced by Aerobic Exercise through the Endocannabinoidome. Cells 2021; 10:cells10040938. [PMID: 33920695 PMCID: PMC8072750 DOI: 10.3390/cells10040938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Revised: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Evidence suggesting the triangulation of the endocannabinoid system, exercise, and neurological health is emerging. In addition to the endocannabinoids N-arachidonoylethanolamine (anandamide; AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), the expanded endocannabinoid system, known as the endocannabinoidome (eCBome), appears to be an important player in this relationship. The eCBome includes several endocannabinoid-like mediators such as N-acylethanolamines and 2-monoacylglycerols, the enzymes involved in their biosynthesis and degradation, and the receptors they affect. This review aims to relate the functional interactions between aerobic exercise, and the molecular and cellular pathways related to endocannabinoids, in the hypothalamus, hippocampus, and the periphery, with special attention given to associations with emotional state, cognition, and mental health. Given the well-documented roles of many eCBome members in regulating stress and neurological processes, we posit that the eCBome is an important effector of exercise-induced central and peripheral adaptive mechanisms that benefit mental health. Gut microbiota imbalance, affecting the gut-brain axis and metabolism, also influences certain eCBome-modulated inflammation pathways. The integrity of the gut microbiota could thus be crucial in the onset of neuroinflammation and mental conditions. Further studies on how the modulation by exercise of the peripheral eCBome affects brain functions could reveal to be key elements in the prevention and treatment of neuropsychological disorders.
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Gabapentin attenuates somatic signs of precipitated THC withdrawal in mice. Neuropharmacology 2021; 190:108554. [PMID: 33845073 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2021.108554] [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: 12/09/2020] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Cannabis is the most frequently used federally illicit substance in the United States. However, there are currently no FDA-approved pharmacotherapies to mitigate the withdrawal symptoms associated with cessation in heavy users. A promising, readily available, non-cannabinoid therapy are the gabapentinoids. Although currently approved for epilepsy and neuropathic pain, gabapentinoids are increasingly used for their "off-label" efficacy in treating various psychiatric conditions and substance abuse. Gabapentin (GBP) synergizes with cannabinoid agonism in neuropathic pain models, substitutes for Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in drug discrimination procedures, and reduced withdrawal symptoms in an outpatient clinical trial. However, there are limited data on the biological plausibility of the therapeutic action of gabapentinoids in cannabinoid withdrawal in preclinical models. The purpose of the current study was to determine the efficacy of GBP on attenuating THC withdrawal in mice, using an array of tests targeting withdrawal-induced and withdrawal-suppressed behaviors. Separate cohorts of male and female mice were administered THC (10 mg/kg, s.c.) or vehicle for 5.5 days, and withdrawal was precipitated by the CB1 antagonist rimonabant (2 or 3 mg/kg, i.p.) on the sixth day. GBP (≥10 mg/kg) reduced somatic signs of withdrawal (i.e., paw tremors and head twitches), but had no effect in locomotor activity or conditioned place preference. GBP (50 mg/kg) also restored withdrawal-suppressed responding on a progressive ratio reinforcement schedule. However, GBP (50 mg/kg) had no effect in withdrawal-suppressed marble burying or tail suspension struggling and did not normalize the stress response induced by THC withdrawal, as indicated by plasma corticosterone. These data suggest gabapentin may be effective at treating cannabinoid withdrawal symptoms including somatic and affective symptoms but may act independently of endocrine stress activation.
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45
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Roberts CJ, Hillard CJ. Peripherally restricted cannabinoid type 1 receptor (CB1R) antagonist, AM6545, potentiates stress-induced hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activation via a non-CB1R mechanism. Endocrine 2021; 72:297-300. [PMID: 33216305 PMCID: PMC8528513 DOI: 10.1007/s12020-020-02549-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J Roberts
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA.
- Department of Anesthesiology, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA.
- The Neuroscience Research Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA.
| | - Cecilia J Hillard
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA
- The Neuroscience Research Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA
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Steardo L, Carbone EA, Menculini G, Moretti P, Steardo L, Tortorella A. Endocannabinoid System as Therapeutic Target of PTSD: A Systematic Review. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:life11030214. [PMID: 33803374 PMCID: PMC8000573 DOI: 10.3390/life11030214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Revised: 02/20/2021] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a complex disorder involving dysregulation of stress-related hormones and neurotransmitter systems. Research focused on the endocannabinoid system (eCBS) for anxiety and stress regulation, cognitive and emotional responses modulation and aversive memories extinction, leading to the hypothesis that it could represent a possible alternative treatment target for PTSD. In this systematic review, we summarize evidence about the efficacy and safety of medicinal cannabidiol (CBD), Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC), and nabilone in PTSD treatment. The PRISMA statement guidelines were followed. A systematic literature search was conducted in MEDLINE/PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science by two independent researchers, who also performed data extraction and quality assessment. Among the initial 495 papers, 234 were screened for eligibility and 10 were included. Studies suggested that different medicinal cannabinoids at distinct doses and formulations could represent promising treatment strategies for the improvement of overall PTSD symptomatology as well as specific symptom domains (e.g., sleep disorders, arousal disturbances, suicidal thoughts), also influencing quality of life, pain and social impact. Although there is a robust rationale for treatment with drugs that target the eCBS and the results are promising, further studies are needed to investigate the safety and efficacy profile of their prolonged use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Steardo
- Psychiatric Unit, Department of Health Sciences, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, Viale Tommaso Campanella, 115, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy
- Correspondence:
| | - Elvira Anna Carbone
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, Viale Tommaso Campanella, 115, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy;
| | - Giulia Menculini
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Perugia, Piazzale Lucio Severi, 1, 06132 Perugia, Italy; (G.M.); (P.M.); (A.T.)
| | - Patrizia Moretti
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Perugia, Piazzale Lucio Severi, 1, 06132 Perugia, Italy; (G.M.); (P.M.); (A.T.)
| | - Luca Steardo
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro, 5, 00185 Rome, Italy;
- Department of Psychiatry, Giustino Fortunato University, 12, 82100 Benevento, Italy
| | - Alfonso Tortorella
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Perugia, Piazzale Lucio Severi, 1, 06132 Perugia, Italy; (G.M.); (P.M.); (A.T.)
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Ney LJ, Akhurst J, Bruno R, Laing PAF, Matthews A, Felmingham KL. Dopamine, endocannabinoids and their interaction in fear extinction and negative affect in PTSD. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2021; 105:110118. [PMID: 32991952 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2020.110118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Revised: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
There currently exist few frameworks for common neurobiology between reexperiencing and negative cognitions and mood symptoms of PTSD. Adopting a dopaminergic framework for PTSD unites many aspects of unique symptom clusters, and this approach also links PTSD symptomology to common comorbidities with a common neurobiological deficiency. Here we review the dopamine literature and incorporate it with a growing field of research that describes both the contribution of endocannabinoids to fear extinction and PTSD, as well as the interactions between dopaminergic and endocannabinoid systems underlying this disorder. Based on current evidence, we outline an early, preliminary model that links re-experiencing and negative cognitions and mood in PTSD by invoking the interaction between endocannabinoid and dopaminergic signalling in the brain. These interactions between PTSD, dopamine and endocannabinoids may have implications for future therapies for treatment-resistant and comorbid PTSD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke J Ney
- School of Psychology, University of Tasmania, Australia.
| | - Jane Akhurst
- School of Psychology, University of Tasmania, Australia
| | | | - Patrick A F Laing
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne & Melbourne Health, Australia
| | | | - Kim L Felmingham
- School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Australia
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Cannabis use and posttraumatic stress disorder comorbidity: Epidemiology, biology and the potential for novel treatment approaches. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2021; 157:143-193. [PMID: 33648669 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2020.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Cannabis use is increasing among some demographics in the United States and is tightly linked to anxiety, trauma, and stress reactivity at the epidemiological and biological level. Stress-coping motives are highly cited reasons for cannabis use. However, with increased cannabis use comes the increased susceptibility for cannabis use disorder (CUD). Indeed, CUD is highly comorbid with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Importantly, endogenous cannabinoid signaling systems play a key role in the regulation of stress reactivity and anxiety regulation, and preclinical data suggest deficiencies in this signaling system could contribute to the development of stress-related psychopathology. Furthermore, endocannabinoid deficiency states, either pre-existing or induced by trauma exposure, could provide explanatory insights into the high rates of comorbid cannabis use in patients with PTSD. Here we review clinical and preclinical literature related to the cannabis use-PTSD comorbidity, the role of endocannabinoids in the regulation of stress reactivity, and potential therapeutic implications of recent work in this area.
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Ney L, Stone C, Nichols D, Felmingham K, Bruno R, Matthews A. Endocannabinoid reactivity to acute stress: Investigation of the relationship between salivary and plasma levels. Biol Psychol 2021; 159:108022. [PMID: 33460783 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2021.108022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2020] [Revised: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The endogenous cannabinoid (eCB) system has been shown in animal models to regulate the initiation and termination of central nervous responses to stress. In human studies, the role of peripherally measured eCBs is much less clear and the effect in salivary eCBs has not been studied. In this study, we use a novel method to quantify cortisol and eCBs arachidonoyl ethanolamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoyl glycerol (2-AG) in human saliva, as well as in plasma samples. Forty-five females and 32 males completed a mixed physiological/psychosocial stress-induction study where saliva, and blood samples in males, were collected at baseline, immediately following, 30-minutes following, and 45-minutes following stress induction. Cortisol significantly increased after stress, but there were sex differences in the cortisol response to stress, with females having higher cortisol after stress compared to males. There was a significant increase in salivary levels of 2-AG immediately following stress induction, but no effect of AEA. Salivary AEA was higher in males compared to females. Surprisingly, there was no effect of stress on plasma AEA or 2-AG levels in the male cohort, though small effect sizes for 2-AG were observed, which is consistent with most other human literature. This study is the first to show that the eCB system is active in human saliva and is responsive to acute stress, possibly as part of the sympathetic nervous system response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke Ney
- School of Psychology, University of Tasmania, Australia.
| | - Caleb Stone
- School of Psychology, University of Tasmania, Australia
| | - David Nichols
- Organic Mass Spectrometry, University of Tasmania, Australia
| | - Kim Felmingham
- School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Australia
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Pavón FJ, Polis IY, Stouffer DG, Cravatt BF, Roberto M, Martin-Fardon R, Rodríguez de Fonseca F, Parsons LH, Serrano A. Selective inhibition of monoacylglycerol lipase is associated with passive coping behavior and attenuation of stress-induced dopamine release in the medial prefrontal cortex. Neurobiol Stress 2021; 14:100293. [PMID: 33490317 PMCID: PMC7809503 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2021.100293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Revised: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The endocannabinoid system is involved in the regulation of the stress response, but the relative contribution of N-arachidonoylethanolamine (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) and their mechanisms have to be elucidated. In this study, we compared the effects of the pharmacological inhibition of the two major endocannabinoid-degrading enzymes [fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) and monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) for AEA and 2-AG, respectively] on stress-coping [forced swim test (FST) and tail suspension test (TST)] and anxiety-like [elevated-plus maze (EPM) and light-dark test (LDT)] behaviors in wild-type and FAAH knockout mice. In vivo microdialysis estimated the effects of FAAH and MAGL inhibition on dopamine (DA) and serotonin (5-HT) levels in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) during an FST. Mice were treated with PF-3845 (FAAH inhibitor), JZL184 (MAGL inhibitor), JZL195 (dual FAAH/MAGL inhibitor) or vehicle. Our data showed that PF-3845 increased latency to immobility and decreased total immobility time in FST, but no effects were observed in TST compared with vehicle-treated wild-type mice. By contrast, JZL184 decreased latency and increased immobility in TST and FST. JZL195 in wild-type mice and JZL184 in FAAH knockout mice reproduced the same passive coping behaviors as JZL184 in wild-type mice in TST and FST. In the microdialysis experiment, FST was associated with increased DA and 5-HT levels in the mPFC. However, JZL184-treated wild-type mice displayed a significant attenuation of forced swim stress-induced DA release compared with vehicle-treated wild-type mice and PF-3845-treated wild-type mice. Finally, FAAH and/or MAGL inhibitors induced robust and consistent anxiolytic-like effects in EPM and LDT. These results suggested differences between FAAH and MAGL inhibition in stress-coping behaviors. Notably, MAGL inhibition induced a consistent avoidant coping behavior and attenuated the stress-induced mPFC DA response in FST. However, more investigation is needed to elucidate the functional association between DA and 2-AG signaling pathways, and the molecular mechanism in the regulation of passive coping strategies during inescapable stress. FAAH and/or MAGL inhibition induce opposite changes in stress-coping behaviors. MAGL inhibition increases passive stress-coping behaviors in mice. Passive stress-coping behaviors are regulated by 2-AG rather than AEA signaling. MAGL inhibition attenuates mPFC dopamine increase in the forced swim test. FAAH and/or MAGL inhibitors are associated with anxiolytic-like effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Javier Pavón
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA.,Unidad de Gestión Clínica de Salud Mental, Hospital Regional Universitario de Málaga, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga (IBIMA), Málaga, Spain.,CIBERCV-Instituto de Salud Carlos III and Unidad de Gestión Clínica del Corazón, Hospital Universitario Virgen de la Victoria, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga (IBIMA), Málaga, Spain
| | - Ilham Y Polis
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - David G Stouffer
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Benjamin F Cravatt
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Marisa Roberto
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Rémi Martin-Fardon
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Fernando Rodríguez de Fonseca
- Unidad de Gestión Clínica de Salud Mental, Hospital Regional Universitario de Málaga, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga (IBIMA), Málaga, Spain
| | - Loren H Parsons
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Antonia Serrano
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA.,Unidad de Gestión Clínica de Salud Mental, Hospital Regional Universitario de Málaga, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga (IBIMA), Málaga, Spain
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