Endogenous cannabinoids in post-mortem brains of Cloninger type 1 and 2 alcoholics.
The endogenous cannabinoid (EC) system has been recently implicated in several neuropsychiatric disorders. This study analyzed post-mortem brain regions of Cloninger type 1 (n=9) and 2 (n=8) alcoholics and non-alcoholic controls (n=10) for ECs by quantitative liquid chromatography with triple quadrupole mass spectrometric detection. A significant difference was found in anandamide (AEA) levels in nucleus accumbens (NAcc) between the three groups (p=0.047). AEA levels were significantly lower when compared to controls in both perigenual anterior cingulate (p=0.017) and frontal cortices (p=0.018) of type 1 alcoholics. Similar trends were observed for dihomo-gamma-linolenoyl ethanolamide and docosahexaenoyl ethanolamide, but not for 2-arachidonoylglycerol, palmitoyl ethanolamide, or oleoyl ethanolamide. Although preliminary, and from diagnostic groups with a relatively small number of subjects and substantially different mean ages for each group, these results suggest that the EC system may be hyperactive in type 2 alcoholics and hypoactive in type 1 alcoholics.
Lehtonen
Marko
M
Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Kuopio, P.O. Box 1627, FI-70211 Kuopio, Finland.
Storvik
Markus
M
Tupala
Erkki
E
Hyytiä
Petri
P
Tiihonen
Jari
J
Callaway
J C
JC
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D063385:Cannabinoid Receptor Modulators / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D063385:Cannabinoid Receptor Modulators