CaltechAUTHORS
Published April 26, 2002 | Version public
Journal Article Metadata-only

Endocannabinoid Signaling in the Brain

Creators

  • 1. ROR icon California Institute of Technology
  • 2. ROR icon University of California, San Francisco

Abstract

The primary psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, Δ^9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ^9-THC), affects the brain mainly by activating a specific receptor (CB1). CB1 is expressed at high levels in many brain regions, and several endogenous brain lipids have been identified as CB1 ligands. In contrast to classical neurotransmitters, endogenous cannabinoids can function as retrograde synaptic messengers: They are released from postsynaptic neurons and travel backward across synapses, activating CB1 on presynaptic axons and suppressing neurotransmitter release. Cannabinoids may affect memory, cognition, and pain perception by means of this cellular mechanism.

Additional Information

© 2002 American Association for the Advancement of Science. We thank H. R. Bourne, H. L. Fields, D. Julius, G. Kunos, K. A. Moore, and M. P. Stryker for comments on the manuscript. We also thank B. E. Alger and B. F. Cravatt for sharing data before publication. R.A.N. is a member of the Keck Center for Integrative Neuroscience and the Silvio Conte Center for Neuroscience Research. He is supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health and the Bristol-Myers Squibb Corporation.

Additional details

Identifiers

Eprint ID
51863
Resolver ID
CaltechAUTHORS:20141117-141648728

Funding

NIH
Bristol-Myers Squibb Corporation

Dates

Created
2014-11-18
Created from EPrint's datestamp field
Updated
2021-11-10
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