New Perspectives in the Studies on Endocannabinoid and Cannabis: Cannabinoid Receptors and Schizophrenia
Hiroshi Ujike, Yukitaka Morita
Journal of Pharmacological Sciences 2004 DOI: 10.1254/jphs.fmj04003x4 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Cannabis |
| Citations | 94 |
| Key findings | Reviews evidence that cannabis use is linked to psychosis and schizophrenia, with recent biological and genetic findings indicating increased CB1 receptor density in prefrontal cortex, elevated anandamide in CSF, and an association between the CNR1 gene and schizophrenia, especially hebephrenic type. Individuals with a 9-repeat allele may have 2.3-fold higher susceptibility. The authors propose that central cannabinoid system hyperactivity is involved in schizophrenia pathogenesis or negative symptom mechanisms. |
Abstract
Cannabis consumption may induce psychotic states in normal individuals, worsen psychotic symptoms of schizophrenic patients, and may facilitate precipitation of schizophrenia in vulnerable individuals. Recent studies provide additional biological and genetic evidence for the cannabinoid hypothesis of schizophrenia. Examinations using [3H]CP-55940 or [3H]SR141716A revealed that the density of CB1 receptors, a central type of cannabinoid receptor, is increased in subregions of the prefrontal cortex in schizophrenia. Anandamide, an endogenous cannabinoid, is also increased in the CSF in schizophrenia. A genetic study revealed that the CNR1 gene, which encodes CB1 receptors, is associated with schizophrenia, especially the hebephrenic type. Individuals with a 9-repeat allele of an AAT-repeat polymorphism of the gene may have a 2.3-fold higher susceptibility to schizophrenia. Recent findings consistently indicate that hyperactivity of the central cannabinoid system is involved in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia or the neural mechanisms of negative symptoms.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on cannabis, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Causal association between cannabis and psychosis: examination of the evidence | 2004 | Review | |
| Cannabis sativa: A comprehensive ethnopharmacological review of a medicinal plant with a long history. General (historical and pharmacological review) | 2018 | Review | |
| Psychiatric effects of cannabis | 2001 | Review | |
| Beyond THC: The New Generation of Cannabinoid Designer Drugs | 2011 | Review | |
| Cannabidiol, a Cannabis sativa constituent, as an antipsychotic drug | 2006 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 14
- Endocannabinoid system and psychiatry: in search of a neurobiological basis for detrimental and potential therapeutic effects Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience 2011
- The cannabinoid CB 1 receptor and the endocannabinoid anandamide: possible antidepressant targets Expert Opinion on Therapeutic Targets October 14, 2008
- Effects of cannabinoid drugs on the deficit of prepulse inhibition of startle in an animal model of schizophrenia: the SHR strain Frontiers in Pharmacology 2014
- The effect of cannabis on the brain: can it cause brain anomalies that lead to increased risk for schizophrenia? Current Opinion in Psychiatry March 1, 2008
- A retrospective analysis of cannabis use in a cohort of mentally ill patients in Sri Lanka and its implications on policy development Substance Abuse Treatment Prevention and Policy July 8, 2010
and 9 more in the library
Cites 5
- Psychiatric effects of cannabis The British Journal of Psychiatry February 1, 2001
- Supersensitivity to anandamide and enhanced endogenous cannabinoid signaling in mice lacking fatty acid amide hydrolase. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America July 31, 2001
- Elevated endogenous cannabinoids in schizophrenia. Neuroreport June 3, 1999
- Cannabis and acute psychosis. Schizophrenia Research September 1, 1994
- Cannabis consumption as a prognostic factor in schizophrenia. The British Journal of Psychiatry May 1994