Behavioral Neurobiology of the Endocannabinoid System

Description

The endocannabinoid signalling system is one of the key modulators of central nervous function. This volume provides timely and in-depth coverage of the roles of the endocannabinoid signalling system in the neurobiology of behavior. It is essential reading for any researcher with a background in neuroscience wanting to know more about the endocannabinoids. The first section provides a comprehensive account of the component parts of the system (the signalling molecules, synthetic and degradative enzymes and receptors), their location within the central nervous system and the endocannabinoids’ roles in neural plasticity. This section also describes the toolboxes (genetic and pharmacological) used to study the system. The second section concentrates on endocannabinoid function in the control of normal physiological behaviors including a reference to the evolution of the system based on its operation in non-mammalian vertebrates. The volume concludes by addressing the importance of the endocannabinoids in pathological behaviors including affective and cognitive disorders, neurodegenerative conditions, feeding and drug abuse. Front Matter....Pages i-xii Front Matter....Pages 1-1 The Life Cycle of the Endocannabinoids: Formation and Inactivation....Pages 3-35 Endocannabinoid Receptor Pharmacology....Pages 37-63 Endocannabinoid Receptors: CNS Localization of the CB 1 Cannabinoid Receptor....Pages 65-86 Pharmacological Tools in Endocannabinoid Neurobiology....Pages 87-110 Genetic Models of the Endocannabinoid System....Pages 111-139 Endocannabinoid Signaling in Neural Plasticity....Pages 141-172 Lessons from Nonmammalian Species....Pages 173-198 Front Matter....Pages 200-200 Roles of the Endocannabinoid System in Learning and Memory....Pages 201-230 Endocannabinoids and the Non-Homeostatic Control of Appetite....Pages 231-253 Cannabinoid/Endocannabinoid Signaling Impact on Early Pregnancy Events....Pages 255-273 Targeting the Cannabinoid System to Produce Analgesia....Pages 275-287 Integration of Endocannabinoid Signaling into the Neural Network Regulating Stress-Induced Activation of the Hypothalamic–Pituitary–Adrenal Axis....Pages 289-306 Front Matter....Pages 308-308 Drug Addiction....Pages 309-346 Role of Endocannabinoid Signaling in Anxiety and Depression....Pages 347-371 Feeding Disorders and Obesity....Pages 373-385 Schizophrenia....Pages 387-396 Tourette’s Syndrome....Pages 397-410 Back Matter....Pages 411-418