Format
Scientific article
Publication Date
Published by / Citation
Scarante FF, Vila-Verde C, Detoni VL, Ferreira-Junior NC, Guimãraes FS and Campos AC (2017) Cannabinoid Modulation of the Stressed Hippocampus. Front. Mol. Neurosci. 10:411. doi: 10.3389/fnmol.2017.00411
Original Language

English

Country
Brazil
Keywords
hippocampus
stress
HPA axis
endocannabinoids
endocannabinoid system
CB1
CB2
neuroplasticity

Cannabinoid Modulation of the Stressed Hippocampus

Exposure to stressful situations is one of the risk factors for the precipitation of several psychiatric disorders, including Major Depressive Disorder, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Schizophrenia. The hippocampal formation is a forebrain structure highly associated with emotional, learning and memory processes; being particularly vulnerable to stress. Exposure to stressful stimuli leads to neuroplastic changes and imbalance between inhibitory/excitatory networks. These changes have been associated with an impaired hippocampal function. Endocannabinoids (eCB) are one of the main systems controlling both excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission, as well as neuroplasticity within the hippocampus. Cannabinoids receptors are highly expressed in the hippocampus, and several lines of evidence suggest that facilitation of cannabinoid signaling within this brain region prevents stress-induced behavioral changes. Also, chronic stress modulates hippocampal CB1 receptors expression and endocannabinoid levels. Moreover, cannabinoids participate in mechanisms related to synaptic plasticity and adult neurogenesis. Here, we discussed the main findings supporting the involvement of hippocampal cannabinoid neurotransmission in stress-induced behavioral and neuroplastic changes.