Cannabinoid receptors in the human brain: a detailed anatomical and quantitative autoradiographic study in the fetal, neonatal and adult human brain
Section snippets
Tissue collection
The human brain tissue used in these studies was obtained from the New Zealand Neurological Foundation Human Brain Bank in the Department of Anatomy, University of Auckland. This study was performed under ethical approval by the University of Auckland Human Subjects Ethics Committee.
All subjects had previously been in good health, with no known history of neurological disease or drug treatment, and all had died suddenly without the opportunity of receiving any form of medical treatment. The
Results
The principal aim of this study was to precisely define the anatomical localization and density of cannabinoid receptors in all major regions of the adult human brain and spinal cord. In addition, studies were also undertaken on the distribution and density of cannabinoid receptors in the fetal and neonatal brain in order to investigate the ontogenic development of cannabinoid receptors in the regions of the human brain which contain some of the highest concentrations of receptors in adults. In
Discussion
This study represents the first detailed investigation on the overall distribution of cannabinoid receptors throughout the human CNS. The study has clearly demonstrated a heterogeneous distribution of cannabinoid receptors throughout the adult human brain and spinal cord. The results show that cannabinoid receptor binding sites in the human brain are localized mainly in: forebrain areas associated with higher cognitive functions; forebrain, midbrain and hindbrain areas associated with the
Conclusion
The results of our detailed quantitative autoradiographic studies show that cannabinoid receptors are heterogeneously distributed in a similar pattern in the fetal, neonatal and adult human brains. The high concentrations of receptors in motor and cognitive regions of the brain correlate well with the known behavioural, psychomotor and psychological effects of cannabis. Further studies determining the distribution and action of putative endogenous ligands such as anandamide[11]for this receptor
Acknowledgements
This study was supported by grants from the Health Research Council of New Zealand, the New Zealand Neurological Foundation and the New Zealand Lottery Board. M.G. was supported by the J. B. Miller Postgraduate Scholarship from the New Zealand Neurological Foundation Inc.
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