Phytocannabinoids modulate emotional memory processing through interactions with the ventral hippocampus and mesolimbic dopamine system: implications for neuropsychiatric pathology.
Roger Hudson, Walter J Rushlow, Steven R Laviolette
Psychopharmacology February 2018 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-017-4766-7 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Cannabis CBD |
| Keywords | Dopamine Emotional salience Endocannabinoid Memory Psychosis Rapamycin Schizophrenia |
| Key findings | The review argues that THC and CBD have opposing effects on psychosis-related brain circuits: THC, acting through CB1 receptors in the ventral hippocampus, alters mesolimbic dopamine activity and emotional salience attribution in ways that may predispose susceptible individuals to psychotic symptoms, while CBD shows antipsychotic properties, prevents the acquisition of emotionally irrelevant memories, and reverses amphetamine-induced neuronal sensitization via selective phosphorylation of the mTOR pathway. |
Abstract
Growing clinical and preclinical evidence suggests a potential role for the phytocannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD) as a pharmacotherapy for various neuropsychiatric disorders. In contrast, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive component in cannabis, is associated with acute and neurodevelopmental propsychotic side effects through its interaction with central cannabinoid type 1 receptors (CB1Rs). CB1R stimulation in the ventral hippocampus (VHipp) potentiates affective memory formation through inputs to the mesolimbic dopamine (DA) system, thereby altering emotional salience attribution. These changes in DA activity and salience attribution, evoked by dysfunctional VHipp regulatory actions and THC exposure, could predispose susceptible individuals to psychotic symptoms. Although THC can accelerate the onset of schizophrenia, CBD displays antipsychotic properties, can prevent the acquisition of emotionally irrelevant memories, and reverses amphetamine-induced neuronal sensitization through selective phosphorylation of the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) molecular signaling pathway. This review summarizes clinical and preclinical evidence demonstrating that distinct phytocannabinoids act within the VHipp and associated corticolimbic structures to modulate emotional memory processing through changes in mesolimbic DA activity states, salience attribution, and signal transduction pathways associated with schizophrenia-related pathology.
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Citations in the library
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- Cannabis sativa: A comprehensive ethnopharmacological review of a medicinal plant with a long history. Journal of Ethnopharmacology December 5, 2018
- The Effects of Cannabidiol and δ-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol in Social Cognition: A Naturalistic Controlled Study Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research July 26, 2022
- Psychotropic Effects of Cannabis Plant-Based Therapeutics, Volume 1 2023
- Crosstalk between the transcriptional regulation of dopamine D2 and cannabinoid CB1 receptors in schizophrenia: Analyses in patients and in perinatal Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol-exposed rats. Pharmacological Research February 2021
- Adolescent Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Exposure and Astrocyte-Specific Genetic Vulnerability Converge on Nuclear Factor-κB-Cyclooxygenase-2 Signaling to Impair Memory in Adulthood. Biological Psychiatry August 16, 2018
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