Serotoninergic alterations in CB1R knockout mice

CALTANA, L; SORIANO, D; CONDE, F; MULLEN, G; VACOTTO, M.; BRUSCO, A

Huerta Grande, Cordoba

Congreso; XXIX Annual Meeting and SAN-ISN Small Conference and Course; 2014

SAN

The endocannabinoid system, consisting of endocannabinoids (eCBs) and its target receptors (CB1R and CB2R), is essential in the development of the nervous system. It plays an important role in the neuromodulation of synaptic activity, neurogenesis and synaptogenesis. CB1R is involved in physiological processes such as appetite, memory, pain regulation, mood and learning. The CB1R is found mainly in presynaptic neurons, is expressed primarily in the central nervous system and is primarily responsible for the effects of cannabinoids on the brain. It was found that both the absence of CB1R in experimental mice, and the use of CB1R antagonist, in humans, generate depressive behavior. In the present work, using CB1R knockout mice, we demonstrated that the absence of this receptor leads to changes in both the consolidation of the neuronal cytoskeleton, as in the serotonergic system and the ultrastructure of synaptic processes.