TY - JOUR
T1 - Endocannabinoid levels in plasma and neurotransmitters in the brain
T2 - a preliminary report on patients with a psychotic disorder and healthy individuals
AU - van Hooijdonk, Carmen F M
AU - Balvers, Michiel G J
AU - van der Pluijm, Marieke
AU - Smith, Charlotte L C
AU - de Haan, Lieuwe
AU - Schrantee, Anouk
AU - Yaqub, Maqsood
AU - Witkamp, Renger F
AU - van de Giessen, Elsmarieke
AU - van Amelsvoort, Therese A M J
AU - Booij, Jan
AU - Selten, Jean-Paul
PY - 2024/2/23
Y1 - 2024/2/23
N2 - BACKGROUND: Interactions between the endocannabinoid system (ECS) and neurotransmitter systems might mediate the risk of developing a schizophrenia spectrum disorder (SSD). Consequently, we investigated in patients with SSD and healthy controls (HC) the relations between (1) plasma concentrations of two prototypical endocannabinoids (N-arachidonoylethanolamine [anandamide] and 2-arachidonoylglycerol [2-AG]) and (2) striatal dopamine synthesis capacity (DSC), and glutamate and y-aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). As anandamide and 2-AG might reduce the activity of these neurotransmitters, we hypothesized negative correlations between their plasma levels and the abovementioned neurotransmitters in both groups. METHODS: Blood samples were obtained from 18 patients and 16 HC to measure anandamide and 2-AG plasma concentrations. For all subjects, we acquired proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy scans to assess Glx (i.e. glutamate plus glutamine) and GABA + (i.e. GABA plus macromolecules) concentrations in the ACC. Ten patients and 14 HC also underwent [ F]F-DOPA positron emission tomography for assessment of striatal DSC. Multiple linear regression analyses were used to investigate the relations between the outcome measures. RESULTS: A negative association between 2-AG plasma concentration and ACC Glx concentration was found in patients ( = 0.008). We found no evidence of other significant relationships between 2-AG or anandamide plasma concentrations and dopaminergic, glutamatergic, or GABAergic measures in either group. CONCLUSIONS: Our preliminary results suggest an association between peripheral 2-AG and ACC Glx levels in patients.
AB - BACKGROUND: Interactions between the endocannabinoid system (ECS) and neurotransmitter systems might mediate the risk of developing a schizophrenia spectrum disorder (SSD). Consequently, we investigated in patients with SSD and healthy controls (HC) the relations between (1) plasma concentrations of two prototypical endocannabinoids (N-arachidonoylethanolamine [anandamide] and 2-arachidonoylglycerol [2-AG]) and (2) striatal dopamine synthesis capacity (DSC), and glutamate and y-aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). As anandamide and 2-AG might reduce the activity of these neurotransmitters, we hypothesized negative correlations between their plasma levels and the abovementioned neurotransmitters in both groups. METHODS: Blood samples were obtained from 18 patients and 16 HC to measure anandamide and 2-AG plasma concentrations. For all subjects, we acquired proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy scans to assess Glx (i.e. glutamate plus glutamine) and GABA + (i.e. GABA plus macromolecules) concentrations in the ACC. Ten patients and 14 HC also underwent [ F]F-DOPA positron emission tomography for assessment of striatal DSC. Multiple linear regression analyses were used to investigate the relations between the outcome measures. RESULTS: A negative association between 2-AG plasma concentration and ACC Glx concentration was found in patients ( = 0.008). We found no evidence of other significant relationships between 2-AG or anandamide plasma concentrations and dopaminergic, glutamatergic, or GABAergic measures in either group. CONCLUSIONS: Our preliminary results suggest an association between peripheral 2-AG and ACC Glx levels in patients.
KW - 2-AG
KW - GABA
KW - anandamide
KW - dopamine
KW - endocannabinoids
KW - glutamate
KW - neuroimaging
KW - schizophrenia spectrum disorders
U2 - 10.1017/S0033291724000291
DO - 10.1017/S0033291724000291
M3 - Article
SN - 0033-2917
SP - 1
EP - 11
JO - Psychological Medicine
JF - Psychological Medicine
ER -