1. Familial abnormalities of endocannabinoid signaling in schizophrenia.
- Author
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Koethe, Dagmar, Pahlisch, Franziska, Hellmich, Martin, Rohleder, Cathrin, Mueller, Juliane K., Meyer-Lindenberg, Andreas, Torrey, E. Fuller, Piomelli, Daniele, and Leweke, F. Markus
- Subjects
SCHIZOPHRENIA ,FETOFETAL transfusion ,ANANDAMIDE ,PSYCHOSES ,BIPOLAR disorder ,ENERGY metabolism ,MIRROR neurons - Abstract
Objectives: Epidemiological and experimental evidence suggests that the endocannabinoid system plays a pathophysiological role in schizophrenia. This is reflected by elevated cerebrospinal levels of the endocannabinoid anandamide in schizophrenia and its initial prodromal states. Methods: We analyzed plasma concentrations of anandamide, 2-arachidonoyl-sn-glycerol, palmitoylethanolamide and oleoylethanolamide from 25 twin pairs discordant for schizophrenia, six discordant for bipolar disorder and eight healthy twin pairs to determine hereditary traits. Results: Twin pairs discordant for schizophrenia or bipolar disorder had significantly higher levels of anandamide and palmitoylethanolamide compared to healthy twins (both P < 0.002). Non-affected twins discordant for schizophrenia, who developed a psychotic disorder within 5 years follow-up showed lower anandamide (P = 0.042) and 2-arachidonoyl-sn-glycerol levels (P = 0.049) than twins who remained healthy. Conclusions: We suggest that the protective upregulation of endocannabinoid signalling reflects either a hereditary trait or mirrors a modulating response to genetically influenced cerebral function involving, e.g., other neurotransmitters or energy metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2019
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