Study register · detailPostmortale Laboruntersuchung (in-situ-Radioligand-Binding) · Psychosis · 2001
Studies on [3H]CP-55940 binding in the human central nervous system: regional specific changes in density of cannabinoid-1 receptors associated with schizophrenia and cannabis use.
CB1 receptor density is increased in a region- and cause-specific manner: in the prefrontal cortex in schizophrenia, in the caudate-putamen with cannabis use.
Summary
Postmortem measurement of CB1 receptor density in the human brain: In the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (BA9) significantly increased binding density in schizophrenia vs. controls (142±9,9 vs. 119±6,6 fmol/mg; p<0,05), independent of recent cannabis use. In the striatum (caudate nucleus-putamen) significantly increased CB1 density following recent cannabis use vs. non-users (151±9,0 vs. 123±7,2 fmol/mg; p<0,05), independent of diagnosis. Indication of distinct neurobiological substrates for schizophrenia-associated vs. cannabis-induced CB1 changes.
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PopulationPostmortem brain samples from individuals with schizophrenia and control persons, some with documented cannabis use shortly before death; total sample not explicitly given as n
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Intervention[3H]CP-55940 radioligand binding (in situ autoradiography) at CB1 receptors in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (BA9), caudate-putamen, and temporal lobe
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ControlControl group without schizophrenia diagnosis (and subgroups without cannabis use)
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OutcomeIncreased CB1 receptor density in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in schizophrenia (142±9,9 vs. 119±6,6 fmol/mg, p<0,05); increased CB1 density in the caudate-putamen with cannabis use (151±9,0 vs. 123±7,2 fmol/mg, p<0,05), independent of diagnosis
Quality profile
Sample size—
Blinding—
Effect sizeMixed
Citations / year★★★★★
Authors
Dean B, Sundram S, Bradbury R, Scarr E, Copolov D.
A number of studies suggested that cannabis use can cause or exacerbate psychoses and may increase the risk of developing schizophrenia. These findings suggest that changes in the cannabinoid system of the brain may be involved in the pathology of schizophrenia. To determine whether changes in the cannabinoid system were present in the brains of subjects with schizophrenia, we used in situ radioligand binding and autoradiography to measure the binding of [3H]CP-55940 to the cannabinoid-1 receptor in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (Brodmann's area 9), caudate-putamen and areas of the temporal lobe from schizophrenic and control subjects, some of whom had ingested cannabis close to death. There was an increase in the density of [3H]CP-55940 binding to cannabinoid-1 receptors in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex from subjects with schizophrenia (mean+/-S.E.M.: 142+/-9.9 vs 119+/-6.6fmol/mg estimated tissue equivalents; P<0.05) that was independent of recent cannabis ingestion. There was an increase in the density of cannabinoid-1 receptors in the caudate-putamen from subjects who had recently ingested cannabis (151+/-9.0 vs 123+/-7.2fmol/mg estimated tissue equivalents; P<0.05) that was independent of diagnoses. These data indicate that there are changes in cannabinoid-1 receptors in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex that may prove to be associated with the pathology of schizophrenia. By contrast, changes in the density of cannabinoid-1 receptors may occur in the caudate-putamen in response to cannabis ingestion.