title: Seeing through the smoke: Human and animal studies of cannabis use and endocannabinoid signalling in corticolimbic networks.
abstract: Public opinion surrounding the recreational use and therapeutic potential of cannabis is shifting. This review describes new work examining the behavioural and neural effects of cannabis and the endocannabinoid system, highlighting key regions within corticolimbic brain circuits. First, we consider the role of human genetic factors and cannabis strain chemotypic differences in contributing to interindividual variation in the response to cannabinoids, such as THC, and review studies demonstrating that THC-induced impairments in decision-making processes are mediated by actions at prefrontal CB1receptors. We further describe evidence that signalling through prefrontal or ventral hippocampal CB1receptors modulates mesolimbic dopamine activity, aberrations of which may contribute to emotional processing deficits in schizophrenia. Lastly, we review studies suggesting that endocannabinoid tone in the amygdala is a critical regulator of anxiety, and report new data showing that FAAH activity is integral to this response. Together, these findings underscore the importance of cannabinoid signalling in the regulation of cognitive and affective behaviours, and encourage further research given their social, political, and therapeutic implications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada. Electronic address: silveira.mason@psych.ubc.ca.
authors.forename: Mason M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Silveira
authors.affiliation: The Brain and Mind Centre and Discipline of Pharmacology, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Jonathon C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Arnold
authors.affiliation: Addiction Research Group and Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Steven R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Laviolette
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Neuroscience Research Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
authors.forename: Cecilia J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Hillard
authors.affiliation: Program of Neurosciences, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona 31008, Spain; Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, School of Science, University of Navarra, Pamplona 31008, Spain.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Celorrio
authors.affiliation: Program of Neurosciences, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona 31008, Spain; Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, School of Science, University of Navarra, Pamplona 31008, Spain; IdiSNA, Navarra Institute for Health Research, Pamplona 31008, Spain.
authors.forename: María S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Aymerich
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada. Electronic address: wendy.adams@ubc.ca.
authors.forename: Wendy K
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Adams
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002188:Cannabis; D063388:Endocannabinoids; D006801:Humans; D043884:Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1; D012907:Smoking
chemical_list: D063388:Endocannabinoids; D043884:Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1
keywords: AEA; Amygdala; Anxiety; CB(1) receptor; Cannabidiol; Cannabis; Corticolimbic circuits; Decision-making; Elevated plus maze; Emotional salience processing; Endocannabinoid system; FAAH; Hippocampus; Individual differences; Mesolimbic dopamine system; Phytocannabinoids; Prefrontal cortex; Psychiatric disorders; Social interaction; THC