Bimodal control of stimulated food intake by the endocannabinoid system

Nat Neurosci. 2010 Mar;13(3):281-3. doi: 10.1038/nn.2494. Epub 2010 Feb 7.

Abstract

Activation of cannabinoid type-1 receptors (CB(1)) is universally recognized as a powerful endogenous orexigenic signal, but the detailed underlying neuronal mechanisms are not fully understood. Using combined genetic and pharmacological approaches in mice, we found that ventral striatal CB(1) receptors exerted a hypophagic action through inhibition of GABAergic transmission. Conversely, brain CB(1) receptors modulating excitatory transmission mediated the well-known orexigenic effects of cannabinoids.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Body Weight
  • Brain / drug effects
  • Brain / physiology
  • Corpus Striatum / drug effects
  • Corpus Striatum / physiology*
  • Eating / drug effects
  • Eating / physiology*
  • Fasting / physiology
  • Glutamic Acid / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Neural Inhibition / drug effects
  • Neural Inhibition / physiology
  • Neurons / drug effects
  • Neurons / physiology*
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1 / genetics
  • Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1 / metabolism*
  • Receptors, GABA-A / metabolism
  • Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / metabolism
  • Synaptic Transmission / drug effects
  • Synaptic Transmission / physiology
  • Time Factors
  • gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / metabolism

Substances

  • RNA, Messenger
  • Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1
  • Receptors, GABA-A
  • Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate
  • Glutamic Acid
  • gamma-Aminobutyric Acid