Endocannabinoid Signaling and Long-term Synaptic Plasticity
Boris D. Heifets, P. Castillo
Annual Review of Physiology February 12, 2009 DOI: 10.1146/annurev.physiol.010908.163149 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Neuroplasticity |
| Key findings | Argues that endocannabinoid-mediated long-term depression (eCB-LTD) is a widespread form of synaptic plasticity whose induction and expression, though similar across synapses, are shaped by a diverse and still poorly mapped set of regulatory influences. The authors propose this complexity gives eCB-LTD computational properties such as coincidence detection and input specificity that are important for learning and memory. |
Abstract
Endocannabinoids (eCBs) are key activity-dependent signals regulating synaptic transmission throughout the CNS. Accordingly, eCBs are involved in neural functions ranging from feeding homeostasis to cognition. There is great interest in understanding how exogenous (e.g. cannabis) and endogenous cannabinoids affect behavior. As behavioral adaptations are widely considered to rely on changes in synaptic strength, the prevalence of eCB-mediated long term depression (eCB-LTD) at synapses throughout the brain merits close attention. The induction and expression of eCB-LTD, while remarkably similar at various synapses, is controlled by an array of regulatory influences which we are just beginning to uncover. This complexity endows eCB-LTD with important computational properties, such as coincidence detection and input specificity, critical for higher CNS functions like learning and memory. In this article, we review the major molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying eCB-LTD, as well as the potential physiological relevance of this widespread form of synaptic plasticity.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on neuroplasticity, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| A neurotrophic hypothesis of depression: role of synaptogenesis in the actions of NMDA receptor antagonists | 2012 | Review | |
| Towards an understanding of psychedelic-induced neuroplasticity. Review of preclinical and clinical studies | 2023 | Review | |
| Buddha's Brain: Neuroplasticity and Meditation [In the Spotlight] | 2008 | Review | |
| Neuroplasticity as a convergent mechanism of ketamine and classical psychedelics | 2021 | Review | |
| Psychedelics in Psychiatry: Neuroplastic, Immunomodulatory, and Neurotransmitter Mechanisms | 2020 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 20
- Cannabinoids and Vanilloids in Schizophrenia: Neurophysiological Evidence and Directions for Basic Research Frontiers in Pharmacology June 21, 2017
- Subtle Structural Modification of a Synthetic Cannabinoid Receptor Agonist Drastically Increases its Efficacy at the CB1 Receptor ACS Chemical Neuroscience October 17, 2023
- Prenatal Exposure to Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Affects Hippocampus-Related Cognitive Functions in the Adolescent Rat Offspring: Focus on Specific Markers of Neuroplasticity. Pharmaceutics February 17, 2023
- Endocannabinoid System and Exogenous Cannabinoids in Depression and Anxiety: A Review Brain Science February 1, 2023
- Impairment of Synaptic Plasticity by Cannabis, Δ9-THC, and Synthetic Cannabinoids. Cold Spring Harbor perspectives in medicine May 3, 2021
and 15 more in the library
Cites 5
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- A single in-vivo exposure to delta 9THC blocks endocannabinoid-mediated synaptic plasticity. Nature Neuroscience June 2004
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