Cannabinoids
cannabinoids
Prof Micah Allen
Applications are invited for a postdoctoral position investigating the computational neuroscience and computational psychiatry of cannabinoids on learning and decision-making. The position is funded as part of the “CANNABODIES” project, a 5 year European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant awarded to Micah Allen, principal investigator of the Embodied Computation Group (link: https://www.the-ecg.org/). The candidate will have the unique chance to work at the forefront of computational modelling, neuroimaging, and cannabinoid research in a variety of different decision-making modalities, both locally and together with our international partners. The position is a full-time position and funded for an initial duration of 2 years, and can be extended up to a total of 4 years following an initial probationary period. Eligible candidates are expected to start February 1st, 2022, or as soon as possible thereafter.
High Stakes in the Adolescent Brain: Glia Ignite Under THC’s Influence
In-Love with Addiction Neuroscience
In this talk series, addiction neuroscientists from across the world share their personal stories/experiences on the beauty of addiction neuroscience and how/why they have decided to invest their scientific life in this field. We hope that this talk series would encourage and support a new generation of young and passionate addiction neuroscientists in different countries to revolutionize the field of addiction medicine.
Cannabinoids: What do we know
Targeting the Endocannabinoid System for Management of Chemotherapy, HIV and Antiretroviral-Induced Neuropathic Pain
Chemotherapeutic drugs (used for treating cancer), HIV infection and antiretroviral therapy (ART) can independently cause difficult-to-manage painful neuropathy. Paclitaxel, a chemotherapeutic drug, for example is associated with high incidence of peripheral neuropathy, around 71% of the patients of which 27% of these develop neuropathic pain. Use of cannabis or phytocannabinoids has been reported to improve pain measures in patients with neuropathic pain, including painful HIV-associated sensory neuropathy and cancer pain. Phytocannabinoids and endocannabinoids, such as anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), produce their effects via cannabinoid (CB) receptors, which are present both in the periphery and central nervous system. Endocannabinoids are synthesized in an “on demand” fashion and are degraded by various enzymes such as fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) and monoacylglycerol lipase (MGL). Various studies, including those from our group, suggest that there are changes in gene and protein expression of endocannabinoid molecules during chemotherapy-induced neuropathic pain (CINP), HIV and antiretroviral-induced neuropathic pain. Analysis of endocannabinoid molecule expression in the brain, spinal cord and paw skin using LC-MS/MS show that there is a specific deficiency of the endocannabinoids 2-AG and/or anandamide in the periphery during CINP. Various drugs including endocannabinoids, cannabidiol, inhibitors of FAAH and MGL, CB receptor agonists, desipramine and coadministered indomethacin plus minocycline have been found to either prevent the development and/or attenuate established CINP, HIV and antiretroviral-induced neuropathic pain in a CB receptor-dependent manner. The results available suggest that targeting the endocannabinoid system for prevention and treatment of CINP, HIV-associated neuropathic pain and antiretroviral-induced neuropathic pain is a plausible therapeutic option.
Brain-wide effects of cannabinoids, measured by functional ultrasound imaging, show strong correlation with CB1R activation and behavior in awake mice
FENS Forum 2024
The effect of phytocannabinoids on neuronal human Kv7 channels and their underlying mechanisms
FENS Forum 2024
Modulation of ageing mice microglia functions during neuroinflammation using synthetic cannabinoids
FENS Forum 2024
Several phytocannabinoids induce sedation in rats
FENS Forum 2024