Cognitive performance and peripheral endocannabinoid system receptor expression in schizophrenia.
Schizophrenia is a chronic psychiatric syndrome characterized by generalized cognitive deficits that are associated with functional impairment. The endocannabinoid system (ECS) modulates neurotransmission and neuronal plasticity and is important for cognitive functioning. Evidence points to the involvement of this neuromodulatory system in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia and that alteration of the ECS on peripheral lymphocytes could reflect central changes. The objective of this study was to compare levels of peripheral endocannabinoid receptor expression in patients with schizophrenia and healthy subjects and find evidence of association between peripheral expression of those receptors and cognitive performance. Patients with stabilized schizophrenia (N=53) and controls (N=22) underwent clinical and cognitive evaluation, and assessment of cannabinoid receptor expression on the surface of peripheral immune cells (lymphocytes, natural killer cells and monocytes) by flow cytometry. Patients with schizophrenia had lower levels of cannabinoid receptor expression on total T lymphocytes, but after controlling for possible confounders this difference did not remain significant. In patients, increased cannabinoid receptor expression on lymphocytes and monocytes was significantly correlated with worst cognitive performance. These data provide additional evidence of the involvement of the ECS in the pathophysiology of cognitive deficits in schizophrenia.
Programa de Pós-graduação em Neurociências, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), MG, Brazil; Hospital de Ensino Instituto Raul Soares, Fundação Hospitalar do Estado de Minas Gerais (FHEMIG), MG, Brazil. Electronic address: rodripq@gmail.com.
Rodrigo
R
Ferretjans
Programa de Pós-graduação em Neurociências, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), MG, Brazil; Hospital de Ensino Instituto Raul Soares, Fundação Hospitalar do Estado de Minas Gerais (FHEMIG), MG, Brazil.
Salvina Maria
SM
de Campos
Programa de Pós-graduação em Neurociências, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), MG, Brazil; Hospital de Ensino Instituto Raul Soares, Fundação Hospitalar do Estado de Minas Gerais (FHEMIG), MG, Brazil.
Rafael
R
Ribeiro-Santos
Programa de Pós-graduação em Neurociências, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), MG, Brazil; Hospital de Ensino Instituto Raul Soares, Fundação Hospitalar do Estado de Minas Gerais (FHEMIG), MG, Brazil.
Fernanda Carneiro
FC
Guimarães
Programa de Pós-graduação em Neurociências, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), MG, Brazil; Hospital de Ensino Instituto Raul Soares, Fundação Hospitalar do Estado de Minas Gerais (FHEMIG), MG, Brazil.
Keliane
K
de Oliveira
Hospital de Ensino Instituto Raul Soares, Fundação Hospitalar do Estado de Minas Gerais (FHEMIG), MG, Brazil; Departamento de Morfologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), MG, Brazil.
Ana Cecília Alves
AC
Cardoso
Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou - FIOCRUZ-Minas, MG, Brazil.
Marcio Sobreira
MS
Araújo
Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou - FIOCRUZ-Minas, MG, Brazil.
Andrea
A
Teixeira-Carvalho
Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou - FIOCRUZ-Minas, MG, Brazil.
Olindo Assis
OA
Martins-Filho
Programa de Pós-graduação em Neurociências, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), MG, Brazil; Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Investigação Médica, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), MG, Brazil.
Antonio L
AL
Teixeira
Programa de Pós-graduação em Neurociências, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), MG, Brazil; Hospital de Ensino Instituto Raul Soares, Fundação Hospitalar do Estado de Minas Gerais (FHEMIG), MG, Brazil; Departamento de Morfologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), MG, Brazil. Electronic address: jvisal@gmail.com.
João V
JV
Salgado
D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000378:metabolism; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000378:metabolism*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009000:Monocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D043884:Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D043885:Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D043884:Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1; D043885:Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2
Cannabinoid receptors; Cognitive deficits; Endocannabinoid system; Immune system; Pathophysiology; Schizophrenia