Cited by 82Cannabis and Cannabinoid ResearchForensic Toxicology and Drug AnalysisNeurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior

Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase Binding in Brain of Cannabis Users: Imaging With the Novel Radiotracer [11C]CURB.

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Boileau, Isabelle, Mansouri, Esmaeil, Williams, Belinda, Le Foll, Bernard, Rusjan, Pablo, Mizrahi, Romina, Tyndale, Rachel F., Huestis, Marilyn A. +5 more·2016·Biological Psychiatry

Abstract

Background One of the major mechanisms for terminating the actions of the endocannabinoid anandamide is hydrolysis by fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), and inhibitors of the enzyme were suggested as potential treatment for human cannabis dependence. However, the status of brain FAAH in cannabis use disorder is unknown.Methods Brain FAAH binding was measured with positron emission tomography and [11 C]CURB in 22 healthy control subjects and ten chronic cannabis users during early abstinence. The FAAH genetic polymorphism (rs324420) and blood, urine, and hair levels of cannabinoids and metabolites were determined.Results In cannabis users, FAAH binding was significantly lower by 14%-20% across the brain regions examined than in matched control subjects (overall Cohen's d = 0.96). Lower binding was negatively correlated with cannabinoid concentrations in blood and urine and was associated with higher trait impulsiveness.Conclusions Lower FAAH binding levels in the brain may be a consequence of chronic and recent cannabis exposure and could contribute to cannabis withdrawal. This effect should be considered in the development of novel treatment strategies for cannabis use disorder that target FAAH and endocannabinoids. Further studies are needed to examine possible changes in FAAH binding during prolonged cannabis abstinence and whether lower FAAH binding predates drug use.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.biopsych.2016.04.012

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  • FAAH expression is reduced in subjects with CUD.

    “FAAH expression is reduced in subjects with CUD 81.”

    From Psychosocial and pharmacological interventions for the treatment of cannabis use disorder (2018) · cites this paper as [81]

    The Results and Discussion (page not provided) report significantly lower brain FAAH binding in chronic cannabis users during early abstinence. The paper measures radiotracer binding, not FAAH expression directly, and does not establish that the reduction applies to all subjects with CUD. (LLM, conf=0.85)

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Authors
Boileau, I., Mansouri, E., Williams, B., Le Foll, B., Rusjan, P., Mizrahi, R., Tyndale, R. F., Huestis, M. A., Payer, D. E., Wilson, A. A., Houle, S., Kish, S. J., & Tong, J.
Affiliations
  • Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CA)
  • National Institutes of Health (US)
Corresponding author
Boileau, Isabelle
Venue
Biological Psychiatry
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2016-11
Volume
80
Issue
9
Pages
691-701
ISSN
0006-3223 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2344299676
Cited by
82
References
76
Citations by year
2026: 7 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 15 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 1
FWCI
4.05
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Biological Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • Canada Foundation for Innovation
  • Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation
  • National Institute of Health
  • National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIH/NIDA R21, DA036024, TMH109787)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research
  • Life Sciences › Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics › Toxicology › Forensic Toxicology and Drug Analysis
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
Keywords
fatty acid amide hydrolase, cannabis use disorder, endocannabinoid system, anandamide, cannabis withdrawal, impulsivity, cannabinoid metabolites, neuroimaging
MeSH terms
Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolases, Adult, Amidohydrolases, Amygdala, Brain, Cannabinoids, Cannabis, Marijuana Abuse, Carbon Radioisotopes, Female, Humans, Impulsive Behavior, Male, Dronabinol, Positron-Emission Tomography

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