Faculty Collaboration Database

Meet Your Stress Management Professionals: The Endocannabinoids. Trends Mol Med 2020 Oct;26(10):953-968

Date

09/02/2020

Pubmed ID

32868170

Pubmed Central ID

PMC7530069

DOI

10.1016/j.molmed.2020.07.002

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-85089963030 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   28 Citations

Abstract

The endocannabinoid signaling system (ECSS) is altered by exposure to stress and mediates and modulates the effects of stress on the brain. Considerable preclinical data support critical roles for the endocannabinoids and their target, the CB1 cannabinoid receptor, in the adaptation of the brain to repeated stress exposure. Chronic stress exposure increases vulnerability to mental illness, so the ECSS has attracted attention as a potential therapeutic target for the prevention and treatment of stress-related psychopathology. We discuss human genetic studies indicating that the ECSS contributes to risk for mental illness in those exposed to severe stress and trauma early in life, and we explore the potential difficulties in pharmacological manipulation of the ECSS.

Author List

deRoon-Cassini TA, Stollenwerk TM, Beatka M, Hillard CJ

Authors

Cecilia J. Hillard PhD Associate Dean, Center Director, Professor in the Pharmacology and Toxicology department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Terri A. deRoon Cassini PhD Center Director, Professor in the Surgery department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Animals
Brain
Endocannabinoids
Humans
Mental Disorders
Signal Transduction
Stress, Psychological