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Canna~Fangled Abstracts

Brain CB₂ Receptors: Implications for Neuropsychiatric Disorders.

By August 10, 2010No Comments
2010 Aug 10;3(8):2517-2553.

Abstract

pm-2-site-207Although previously thought of as the peripheral cannabinoid receptor, it is now accepted that the CB₂ receptor is expressed in the central nervous system on microglia, astrocytes and subpopulations of neurons. Expression of the CB₂ receptor in the brain is significantly lower than that of the CB₁ receptor. Conflicting findings have been reported on the neurological effects of pharmacological agents targeting the CB₂ receptor under normal conditions. Under inflammatory conditions, CB₂ receptor expression in the brain is enhanced and CB2 receptor agonists exhibit potent anti-inflammatory effects. These findings have prompted research into the CB₂ receptor as a possible target for the treatment of neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative disorders. Neuroinflammatory alterations are also associated with neuropsychiatric disorders and polymorphisms in the CB₂ gene have been reported in depression, eating disorders and schizophrenia. This review will examine the evidence to date for a role of brain CB₂ receptors in neuropsychiatric disorders.

KEYWORDS:

CB(2); depression; endocannabinoid; neurophysiology; schizophrenia; stress

PMID: 27713365

 

DOI: 10.3390/ph3082517
[PubMed – in process]

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