Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • News and Commentary
  • Published:

News & Commentary

Retrograde signaling at central synapses via endogenous cannabinoids

Molecular Psychiatry volume 7, pages 234–235 (2002)Cite this article

Recent studies have clarified that endogenous cannabinoids are released from depolarized postsynaptic neurons in a calcium-dependent manner and act retrogradely onto presynaptic cannabinoid receptors to suppress neurotransmitter release.

Marijuana exerts variable behavioral effects through the interaction of its active component Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol with specific cannabinoid receptors. They constitute a family of G protein-coupled seven-transmembrane-domain receptors and consist of type 1 (CB1) and type 2 (CB2) receptors.1,2,3,4 While the CB2 is expressed mostly in the immune system, the CB1 is rich in various regions of the brain.5,6 Anandamide and sn-2-arachidonylglycerol (2-AG)1,2,3,4 have so far been identified as putative endogenous ligands for the CB1. These endogenous cannabinoids (endocannabinoids) are reported to be produced and released from central neurons in a manner dependent on neural activity and intracellular Ca2+.1,2,3,4 Activation of the CB1 causes suppression of synaptic transmission in various regions of the CNS.1,2

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Relevant articles

Open Access articles citing this article.

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on SpringerLink
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1

References

  1. Di Marzo V et al. Trends Neurosci 1998 21: 521–528

  2. Elphick MR, Egertova M . Phil Trans R Soc Lond B 2000 356: 381–408

  3. Felder CC, Glass M . Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol 1998 38: 179–200

  4. Mechoulam R et al. Eur J Pharmacol 1998 359: 1–18

  5. Egertova M, Elphick MR . J Comp Neurol 2000 422: 159–171

  6. Matsuda LA et al. J Comp Neurol 1993 327: 535–550

  7. Alger BE, Pitler TA . Trends Neurosci 1995 18: 333–340

  8. Kreitzer AC, Regehr WG . Neuron 2001 29: 717–727

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Ohno-Shosaku T et al. Neuron 2001 29: 729–738

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Wilson RI, Nicoll RA . Nature 2001 410: 588–592

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Ohno-Shosaku T et al. Pflügers Archiv (Eur J Physiol) 1998 435: 273–279

  12. Pitler TA, Alger BE . J Neurosci 1992 12: 4122–4132

  13. Llano I et al. Neuron 1991 6: 565–574

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Hoffman AF, Lupica CR . J Neurosci 2000 20: 2470–2479

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work was supported in part by Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (to TO-S and MK) and Special Coordination Funds for Promoting Science and Technology (to MK) from the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports, Culture and Technology of Japan.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cellular Neurophysiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, 920-8640, Japan

    M Kano, T Ohno-Shosaku & T Maejima

Authors
  1. M Kano
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. T Ohno-Shosaku
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. T Maejima
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M Kano.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kano, M., Ohno-Shosaku, T. & Maejima, T. Retrograde signaling at central synapses via endogenous cannabinoids. Mol Psychiatry 7, 234–235 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.mp.4000999

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.mp.4000999

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links