Abstract Background Self-medication with drugs or alcohol is commonly reported among adults with mood or anxiety disorders, and increases the risk of developing substance use disorders. Medical marijuana laws (MML) may be associated with greater acceptance of the therapeutic value of marijuana, leading individuals to self-medicate. Methods The study utilized data from Wave 2 of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (2004–2005). Participants were sampled from households in the general population and included adults with a mood or anxiety disorder in the past 12 months (n=7418), and the subset of those who used marijuana and no other drug (n=314). Weighted logistic...

Abstract   Objective: The goal of this report is to develop a comprehensive model, which integrates psychosocial and neurobiological aspects, for better understanding the link between chronic stress and mood disorders.   Method: A selective review of the relevant bibliography was conducted. The significant data were integrated with clinical and preclinical findings, particularly focusing on the effect of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) activity on the serotonergic neurotransmission in the CNS.   Results: The reviewed data shows that chronic application of stress responses may lead to alterations in the regulation of the HPA system, and the resulting hypercortisolism may be reflected in various psychoneuroendocrinological processes, such as the observed...

Abstract   The present review synthetically describes the currently advanced hypotheses for a neurobiological basis of depression, ranging from the classical monoaminergic to the more recent neurotrophic hypothesis. Moreover, the Authors review the available preclinical and clinical evidence suggesting a possible role for the endocannabinoid system in the physiopathology of depression. Indeed, in spite of the reporting of conflicting results, the pharmacological enhancement of endocannabinoid activity at the CB1 cannabinoid receptor level appears to exert an antidepressant-like effect in some animal models of depression. On the contrary, a reduced activity of the endogenous cannabinoid system seems to be associated with the animal model of...

Abstract   Depression and pain co-exist in almost 80% of patients and are associated with impaired health-related quality of life, often contributing to high mortality. However, the majority of patients who suffer from the comorbid depression and pain are not responsive to pharmacological treatments that address either pain or depression, making this comorbidity disorder a heavy burden on patients and society. In ancient times, this depression-pain comorbidity was treated using extracts of the Cannabis sativa plant, known now as marijuana and the mode of action of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, the active cannabinoid ingredient of marijuana, has only recently become known, with the identification of cannabinoid receptor type 1...

Abstract   Cannabidiol (CBD) is a compound of Cannabis sativa with relevant therapeutic potential in several neuropsychiatric disorders including depression. CBD treatment has shown significant antidepressant-like effects in different rodent preclinical models. However, the mechanisms involved in CBD-induced antidepressant effects are still poorly understood. Therefore, this work aimed at investigating the participation of serotonin (5-HT) and/or noradrenaline (NA) in CBD-induced antidepressant-like effects in the forced swimming test (FST) by: 1) testing if CBD co-administration with serotonergic (fluoxetine, FLX) or noradrenergic (desipramine, DES) antidepressants would have synergistic effects; and 2) investigating if 5-HT or NA depletion would impair CBD-induced behavioral effects. Results showed that CBD (10 mg/kg), FLX (10 mg/kg) and DES...

Abstract   The present review synthetically describes the currently advanced hypotheses for a neurobiological basis of depression, ranging from the classical monoaminergic to the more recent neurotrophic hypothesis. Moreover, the Authors review the available preclinical and clinical evidence suggesting a possible role for the endocannabinoid system in the physiopathology of depression. Indeed, in spite of the reporting of conflicting results, the pharmacological enhancement of endocannabinoid activity at the CB1 cannabinoid receptor level appears to exert an antidepressant-like effect in some animal models of depression. On the contrary, a reduced activity of the endogenous cannabinoid system seems to be associated with the animal model of...

Abstract: The potential therapeutic use of some Cannabis sativa plant compounds has been attracting great interest, especially for managing neuropsychiatric disorders due to the relative lack of efficacy of the current treatments. Numerous studies have been carried out using the main phytocannabinoids, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). CBD displays an interesting pharmacological profile without the potential for becoming a drug of abuse, unlike THC. In this review, we focused on the anxiolytic, antidepressant, and antipsychotic effects of CBD found in animal and human studies. In rodents, results suggest that the effects of CBD depend on the dose, the strain, the administration time course (acute...

Abstract The purpose of this review is to examine human and preclinical data that are relevant to the following hypotheses. The first hypothesis is that deficient CB1R-mediated signaling results in symptoms that mimic those seen in depression. The second hypothesis is that activation of CB1R-mediated signaling results in behavioral, endocrine and other effects that are similar to those produced by currently used antidepressants. The third hypothesis is that conventional antidepressant therapies act through enhanced CB1R mediated signaling. Together the available data indicate that activators of CB1R signaling, particularly inhibitors of fatty acid amide hydrolase, should be considered for clinical trials for the treatment of...

Abstract: The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is involved in the pathophysiology of many neuropsychiatric disorders. Increased HPA axis activity can be observed during chronic stress, which plays a key role in the pathophysiology of depression. Overactivity of the HPA axis occurs in major depressive disorder (MDD), leading to cognitive dysfunction and reduced mood. There is also a correlation between the HPA axis activation and gut microbiota, which has a significant impact on the development of MDD. It is believed that the gut microbiota can influence the HPA axis function through the activity of cytokines, prostaglandins, or bacterial antigens of various microbial species. The activity of...

Background: Anxiety and depressive disorders are highly prevalent. Patients are increasingly using medicinal cannabis products to treat these disorders, but little is known about the effects of medicinal cannabis use on symptoms of anxiety and depression. The aim of the present observational study was to assess general health in medicinal cannabis users and non-using controls with anxiety and/or depression.   Methods: Participants (368 Cannabis Users; 170 Controls) completed an online survey assessing anxiety and depressive symptoms, cannabis product use, sleep, quality of life, and comorbid chronic pain. Participants that completed this baseline survey were then invited to complete additional follow-up surveys at 3-month intervals. Baseline differences...