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502817 
Journal Article 
Central side-effects of therapies based on CB1 cannabinoid receptor agonists and antagonists: focus on anxiety and depression 
Moreira, FA; Grieb, M; Lutz, B 
2009 
Yes 
Best Practice and Research: Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
ISSN: 1521-690X
EISSN: 1532-1908 
23 
1 
133-144 
English 
Both agonists (e.g. Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol, nabilone) and antagonists (e.g. rimonabant, taranabant) of the cannabinoid type-1 (CB1) receptor have been explored as therapeutic agents in diverse fields of medicine Such as pain management and obesity with associated metabolic dysregulation, respectively. CB, receptors are widely distributed in the central nervous system and are involved in the modulation of emotion, stress and habituation responses, behaviours that are thought to be dysregulated in human psychiatric disorders. Accordingly, CB1 receptor activation may, in some cases, precipitate episodes of psychosis and panic, while its inhibition may lead to behaviours reminiscent of depression and anxiety-related disorders. The present review discusses these side-effects, which have to be taken into account in the therapeutic exploitation of the endocannabinoid system. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 
cannabinoids; anxiety; depression; Sativex; dronabinol; nabilone; rimonabant; taranabant; randomized controlled-trial; antidepressant-like activity; medial; prefrontal cortex; lithium-paired context; pituitary-adrenal axis; endocannabinoid system; multiple-sclerosis; inverse agonist; anxiolytic-like; risk-factors