Antisocial behavior (AB) is a neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by inappropriate and often exaggerated aggressive and violent responses. Ample evidence has shown that the pathogenesis of aggression reflects the synergism of genetic and environment...

Highlighted Research Paper: [[Cannabinoid Signaling Recruits Astrocytes to Modulate Presynaptic Function in the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus. Lauren M. Hablitz, Ali N. Gunesch, Olga Cravetchi, Michael Moldavan and Charles N. Allen][2]. ][2] []: /lookup/doi/10.1523/ENEURO.0081-19.2020

The development of novel cannabinoids not only contributes to the discovery of new and safer therapeutic interventions, but also to the elucidation of endocannabinoid system biology. A series of novel derivatives of Δ8-Tetrahydrocannabinol were synthesi...

An inflammatory response plays important roles in diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease in central nervous system. Since it has been reported that cannabinoids derived from Marijuana suppress inflammatory responses, we attempted to examine the gene expre...

It is now well established that the endogenous cannabinoid system is critically involved in the control of feeding behaviour. Recent studies have shown that endogenous (anandamide and 2-AG) and exogenous (Δ9-THC) cannabinoids substantially increase feed...

Development of pre-implantation mammalian embryos is negatively impacted by prenatal exposure to exogenous cannabinoids, like THC, and by agents that perturb endogenous “anandamide (AEA) tone”. AEA is an agonist at mammalian CB1, CB2, TRPV1, and several...

Effects of delta-9-THC, the most active of the psychoactive substances extracted from marijuana are mediated by cannabinoid receptors CB1R and CB2R. CB1R has a preferential distribution in central nervous system and may be mediating the marijuana effects on sleep, which include increase in subjective sleepiness, alpha waves in the EEG and slow wave sleep (SWS). We previously reported that sleep rebound after deprivation of total sleep increases CB1R expression. This study aims to analyze if this effect was mediated by Rapid eye movement sleep (REMS) or SWS deprivation. Twelve Wistar male rats were REMS deprivated using the flower pot for 24 hours (REMSD). Six of them were allowed to rebound for 2 hours (REMSD + R). As stress control, 11 rats were maintained 24 hours on a large platform (LP) and 5 were allowed to recover for 2 hours (LP + R). All rats were sacrificed at the same hour that control rats (n=6). Membrane enriched fractions of pons were analyzed by western blot using serum anti-CB1R. Results ind...

Delta-9-THC, the most active of the psychoactive substances extracted from marijuana, binds to two types of cannabinoid receptors: CB1R and CB2R. The former has a preferential distribution in CNS and may be mediating the marijuana effects on sleep, which include increase in subjective sleepiness, alpha waves in the EEG and slow wave sleep. We previously reported that anandamide, an endogenous lipid that binds to CB1R increases SWS2 and Rapid Eye Movement Sleep (REMS). This study aims to analyze the effect of sleep deprivation and rebound on the CB1R expression in pons. Ten Wistar male rats were total sleep deprivated (TSD) by gentle manipulation for 24 hours. Five of them were allowed to rebound for two hours (TSD + R). They were sacrificed at the same hour that control rats (n=5). Fifteen rats were implanted with electrodes to analyze EEG and EMG. After surgery recover, ten of them, were REMS deprivated (REMSD) for 12 hours by analyzing their poligraphic records. Five of them were allowed to rebound for t...

The endocannabinoid system is linked to the processes underlying eating motivation. Stimulation of central CB1 cannabinoid receptors induces feeding, while antagonists, such as rimonabant, suppress food intake. The endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) stimulates feeding in rats following injection into the shell region of the nucleus accumbens. Similarly, anandamide stimulates feeding after infusion into the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus. Given the central role of the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN) in feeding and energy regulation, we determined the ability of 2-AG to stimulate eating when injected into this nucleus. The hyperphagic actions of the exogenous cannabinoid Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) have been shown to be reversed by opioid receptor blockade. Moreover, subanorectic doses of the CB1 antagonist rimonabant and the general opioid receptor antagonist naloxone interact synergistically to suppress food intake. Thus, there is every indication that endogenous ca...

The abuse of synthetic psychoactive substances known as “designer drugs,” or “new psychoactive substances” (NPS), is increasing at an alarming rate. NPS are purchased as alternatives to traditional illicit drugs of abuse and are manufactured to circumvent laws regulating the sale and use of controlled substances. Synthetic cathinones (i.e., “bath salts”) and synthetic cannabinoids (i.e., “spice”) are two types of NPS that have received substantial media attention. Although low recreational doses of bath salts or spice compounds can produce desirable effects, high doses or chronic exposure often leads to dangerous medical consequences, including psychosis, violent behaviors, tachycardia, hyperthermia, and even death. Despite the popularity of NPS, there is a paucity of scientific data about these drugs. Here we provide a brief up-to-date review describing the mechanisms of action and neurobiological effects of synthetic cathinones and cannabinoids.