ABSTRACT: The recent identification of cannabinoid receptors and their endogenous lipid ligands has triggered an exponential growth of studies exploring the endocannabinoid system and its regulatory functions in health and disease. Such studies have been greatly facilitated by the introduction of selective cannabinoid receptor antagonists and inhibitors of endocannabinoid ... Continue Reading
Anxiety
STUDY: Can fear extinction be enhanced? A review of pharmacological and behavioral findings
ABSTRACT: There is considerable interest, from both a basic and clinical standpoint, in gaining a greater understanding of how pharmaceutical or behavioral manipulations alter fear extinction in animals. Not only does fear extinction in rodents model exposure therapy in humans, where the latter is a cornerstone of behavioral intervention for anxiety disorders such as ... Continue Reading
STUDY: Ganaxolone improves behavioral deficits in a mouse model of post-traumatic stress disorder
ABSTRACT: Allopregnanolone and its equipotent stereoisomer, pregnanolone (together termed ALLO), are neuroactive steroids that positively and allosterically modulate the action of gamma-amino-butyric acid (GABA) at GABAAreceptors. Levels of ALLO are reduced in the cerebrospinal fluid of female premenopausal patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a severe, ... Continue Reading
STUDY: Pharmacology of cognitive enhancers for exposure-based therapy of fear, anxiety and trauma-related disorders
ABSTRACT: Pathological fear and anxiety are highly debilitating and, despite considerable advances in psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy they remain insufficiently treated in many patients with PTSD, phobias, panic and other anxiety disorders. Increasing preclinical and clinical evidence indicates that pharmacological treatments including cognitive enhancers, when given as ... Continue Reading
STUDY: Inhibiting fatty acid amide hydrolase normalizes endotoxin-induced enhanced gastrointestinal motility in mice
ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Gastrointestinal (GI) motility is regulated in part by fatty acid ethanolamides (FAEs), including the endocannabinoid (EC) anandamide (AEA). The actions of FAEs are terminated by fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH). We investigated the actions of the novel FAAH inhibitor AM3506 on normal and enhanced GI motility. EXPERIMENTAL ... Continue Reading