The DOI matches its Crossref record; 57 of the 57 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Reductions in circulating endocannabinoid levels in individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder following exposure to the world trade center attacks
Open accessAbstract
Endocannabinoid (eCB) signaling has been identified as a modulator of adaptation to stress, and is integral to basal and stress-induced glucocorticoid regulation. Furthermore, interactions between eCBs and glucocorticoids have been shown to be necessary for the regulation of emotional memories, suggesting that eCB function may relate to the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). To examine this, plasma eCBs were measured in a sample (n=46) drawn from a population-based cohort selected for physical proximity to the World Trade Center (WTC) at the time of the 9/11 attacks. Participants received a structured diagnostic interview and were grouped according to whether they met diagnostic criteria for PTSD (no PTSD, n=22; lifetime diagnosis of PTSD=24). eCB content (2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) and anandamide (AEA)) and cortisol were measured from 8 a.m. plasma samples. Circulating 2-AG content was significantly reduced among individuals meeting diagnostic criteria for PTSD. The effect of reduced 2-AG content in PTSD remained significant after controlling for the stress of exposure to the WTC collapse, gender, depression and alcohol abuse. There were no significant group differences for AEA or cortisol levels; however, across the whole sample AEA levels positively correlated with circulating cortisol, and AEA levels exhibited a negative relationship with the degree of intrusive symptoms within the PTSD sample. This report shows that PTSD is associated with a reduction in circulating levels of the eCB 2-AG. Given the role of 2-AG in the regulation of the stress response, these data support the hypothesis that deficient eCB signaling may be a component of the glucocorticoid dysregulation associated with PTSD. The negative association between AEA levels and intrusive symptoms is consistent with animal data indicating that reductions in AEA promote retention of aversive emotional memories. Future work will aim to replicate these findings and extend their relevance to clinical pathophysiology, as well as to neuroendocrine and molecular markers of PTSD.
Overview
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Verification
Claims the paper makes
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
In the citing paper
“AEA levels have been shown to be reduced in PTSD patients (Hill et al., 2013;Neumeister et al., 2013) and depressed patients with high anxiety scores (Hill, Miller, Carrier, Gorzalka, & Hillard, 2009;Hill, Miller, Ho, Gorzalka, & Hillard, 2008).”
From Novel pharmacological targets in drug development for the treatment of anxiety and anxiety-related disorders (2019) · cites this paper as Hill et al., 2013
Self-check
Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
The self-check needs the paper’s full text.
Citations
Cites
The development of a Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale
Blake, D. D., Weathers, F. W., Nagy, L. M., Kaloupek, D. G., Gusman, F. D., Charney, D. S., & Keane, T. M. (1995) · Journal of Traumatic Stress · doi:10.1002/jts.2490080106 · Cited by 5,024
Reliability and validity of a brief instrument for assessing post-traumatic stress disorder
Foa, E. B., Riggs, D. S., Dancu, C. V., & Rothbaum, B. O. (1993) · Journal of Traumatic Stress · doi:10.1002/jts.2490060405 · Cited by 2,537
The endogenous cannabinoid system controls extinction of aversive memories
Marsicano, G., Wotjak, C. T., Azad, S. C., Bisogno, T., Rammes, G., Cascio, M. G., Hermann, H., Tang, J., Hofmann, C., Zieglgänsberger, W., et al. (2002) · Nature · doi:10.1038/nature00839 · Cited by 1,728
Di, S., Malcher‐Lopes, R., Halmos, K. C., & Tasker, J. G. (2003) · Journal of Neuroscience · doi:10.1523/jneurosci.23-12-04850.2003 · Cited by 820
Breslau, N., Davis, G. C., Peterson, E. L., & Schultz, L. R. (2000) · Biological Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/s0006-3223(00)00933-1 · Cited by 582
Enzymatic pathways that regulate endocannabinoid signaling in the nervous system
Ahn, K., McKinney, M. K., & Cravatt, B. F. (2008) · Chemical Reviews · doi:10.1021/cr0782067 · Cited by 529
Patel, S., Roelke, C. T., Rademacher, D. J., Cullinan, W. E., & Hillard, C. J. (2004) · Endocrinology · doi:10.1210/en.2004-0638 · Cited by 475
Self-citationStructured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID)
Kübler, U. (2013) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-1-4419-1005-9_66 · Cited by 445
Status of Glucocorticoid Alterations in Post‐traumatic Stress Disorder
Yehuda, R. (2009) · Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1111/j.1749-6632.2009.04979.x · Cited by 409
Self-citationEnhancing Cannabinoid Neurotransmission Augments the Extinction of Conditioned Fear
Chhatwal, J. P., Davis, M., Maguschak, K. A., & Ressler, K. J. (2005) · Neuropsychopharmacology · doi:10.1038/sj.npp.1300655 · Cited by 376
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Items 201–256 of 256
Journal of Molecular Psychiatry
Thome, J. (2013) · Journal of Molecular Psychiatry · doi:10.1186/2049-9256-1-1 · Cited by 2
Endocannabinoid signaling and stress resilience
Hill, M. N., & Patel, S. (2019) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-813983-7.00022-7 · Cited by 1
Self-citationCorrêa, M. D. S., Fornari, R. V., Stern, C. A. J., Bertoglio, L. J., & Gazarini, L. (2023) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-323-90877-1.00019-x · Cited by 1
Anandamide and disease. Role in stress, fear, and PTSD
Ney, L. J., & Matthews, A. J. (2024) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-443-19081-0.00016-0 · Cited by 1
Ross, J., Cuccurazzu, B., Delmar, D., Cortez, C., Castillo, G., Acheson, D. T., Baker, D. G., Risbrough, V. B., & Stout, D. M. (2025) · npj Mental Health Research · doi:10.1038/s44184-025-00126-w · Cited by 2
Heins, M., Ferger, M. D., Voehringer, P., Cremers, T. I. F. H., & Ferger, B. (2025) · Neurochemistry International · doi:10.1016/j.neuint.2025.106006 · Cited by 2
Yi, L., Jiang, H., Li, Y., Xu, Z., Zhang, H., & Hu, D. (2025) · Animals · doi:10.3390/ani15142155 · Cited by 1
The Endocannabinoid System in PTSD: Molecular Targets for Modulating Fear and Anxiety
Lyndon, S. (2025) · Pharmacopsychiatry · doi:10.1055/a-2647-8030 · Cited by 1
The role of endocannabinoid function in posttraumatic stress disorder
Gabbay, F. H., Choi, K. H., Wynn, G. H., & Ursano, R. J. (2015) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-417041-4.00011-4 · Cited by 1
Bennett, M. R., & Lagopoulos, J. (2018) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-91116-8_4 · Cited by 1
Modulation of the Core Neural Network in Stress: The Role of Endocannabinoids and LTD
Bennett, M. R., & Lagopoulos, J. (2018) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-91116-8_5 · Cited by 1
Endocannabinoids, “New-Old” Mediators of Stress Homeostasis
Hauer, D., Tóth, R., & Schelling, G. (2011) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-642-22272-6_8 · Cited by 1
Cannabinoids and Neuropsychiatry
JAMES, S. P. (2020) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/9781108583336.008 · Cited by 1
Chu, L., Wang, L., Wu, Y., Yang, H., Wang, W., Lu, Q., & Deng, H. (2021) · Actas Dermo-Sifiliográficas · doi:10.1016/j.ad.2021.10.004 · Cited by 1
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
O’Brien, K., & Blair, P. (2021) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-030-78559-8_7 · Cited by 1
Vieira, J. C. F. (2020) · Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (Universidade de São Paulo) · doi:10.11606/t.17.2020.tde-11022020-153242 · Cited by 1
Walther, A., Kirschbaum, C., Wehrli, S., Rothe, N., Wekenborg, M., Penz, M. S., & Gao, W. (2021) · doi:10.31234/osf.io/y8vuf · Cited by 1
Doucette, M. L., Kasabuski, M., Fisher, E., Chin, J., Bruce, D., & Kitsantas, P. (2025) · medRxiv · doi:10.1101/2025.03.05.25323416 · Cited by 1
Romero‐Martínez, Á., & Moya‐Albiol, L. (2018) · Psiquiatría Biológica · doi:10.1016/j.psiq.2018.02.004
PTSD or clinical endocannabinoid deficiency
Rosadop, P. (2018) · Journal of psychiatry
Masataka, Y., Ikeda, T., & Ando, Y. (2019) · Rinsho Shinkeigaku · doi:10.5692/clinicalneurol.cn-001299
Ahmed, M. (2020) · TSpace (University of Toronto)
Hippocampal TRPV1 channels in the modulation of contextual fear conditioningPreprint
Iglesias, L. P., Fernandes, H. D. B., de Miranda, A. S., Sorgi, C. A., & Moreira, F. A. (2021) · bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · doi:10.1101/2021.05.23.445340
Die Rolle des Endocannabinoidsystems bei der Borderline-Persönlichkeitsstörung
Kulakova, E., & Wingenfeld, K. (2023) · Nervenheilkunde · doi:10.1055/a-1953-2643
Gazarini, L., Stern, C. A. J., & Bertoglio, L. J. (2023) · Neuromethods · doi:10.1007/978-1-0716-3218-5_13
Raymundi, A. M., & Stern, C. A. J. (2023) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-323-90877-1.00037-1 · Cited by 1
The Bioactive Components of Cannabis
Ross, I. A. (2023) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-35155-6_4
Biomedical and public health studies on susceptibility to post-traumatic stress disorder
Jowf, G. I. A. (2023) · Research Publications (Maastricht University) · doi:10.26481/dis.20230906ga
Individual differences in fear extinction learning and the endocannabinoid system
Leen, N. A. (2024) · Utrecht University Repository (Utrecht University) · doi:10.33540/2135
Larrea, A. G. S., & Arévalo, D. G. M. (2024) · Anatomía Digital · doi:10.33262/anatomiadigital.v7i1.2.3007
Hahnefeld, L., Hackel, J., Trautmann, S., Angioni, C., Schreiber, Y., Gurke, R., Thomas, D., Wicker, S., Geißlinger, G., & Tegeder, I. (2024) · Research Square · doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-4408378/v1
Bergunde, L., Woud, M. L., Shkreli, L., Schindler‐Gmelch, L., Blackwell, S. E., Garthus‐Niegel, S., Kirschbaum, C., Kessler, H., & Steudte‐Schmiedgen, S. (2024) · doi:10.31234/osf.io/t7s8b
Kroll, S. L., & Mayo, L. M. (2024) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-443-19081-0.00002-0
Leweke, F. M., & Rohleder, C. (2024) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-443-19081-0.00020-2
Fitzgerald, J. M., & Hillard, C. J. (2024) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-443-19081-0.00008-1
Self-citationUnderstanding Early Stressful Experiences as a Risk Factor for Problematic Cannabis Use.
Aubin, K. C. M. (2024) · Carleton University's Institutional Repository (MacOdrum Library, Carleton University) · doi:10.22215/etd/2024-16255
Leroy, A., Genon, M., Baubet, T., & Vaïva, G. (2022) · HAL · doi:10.1016/s0246-1072(22)87543-x
McEwen, B. S., & Chattarji, S. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/med/9780190065324.003.0017
Self-citationCentral Nervous System: Pain, Movement, and Memory
Dedam, J.-P. H., Fogel, M., & Fogel, E. (2025) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-87484-0_11
Nia, A. B., Aghaei, A. M., Pittman, B. P., Korem, N., D’Souza, D. C., Potenza, M. N., Hillmer, A. T., Ranganathan, M., & Harpaz‐Rotem, I. (2025) · Research Square · doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-6536815/v1
Suprani, F., Paribello, P., Mancini, G. F., Morena, M., Pinna, M., Pinna, F., Contu, M., Visioli, C., Medas, F., Canu, G., et al. (2025) · Frontiers in Psychiatry · doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1584583
Bergunde, L., Woud, M. L., Shkreli, L., Schindler‐Gmelch, L., Garthus‐Niegel, S., Blackwell, S. E., Kirschbaum, C., Kessler, H., & Steudte‐Schmiedgen, S. (2025) · Translational Psychiatry · doi:10.1038/s41398-025-03476-3
Cannabis shows potential for treating PTSD: New study
Lake, S., & Milloy, M. (2019) · doi:10.64628/aam.xvemhgdfy
Albertina, E. A., Torres, L., Sauber, G., Hillard, C. J., Fitzgerald, J. M., deRoon‐Cassini, T. A., & Larson, C. L. (2025) · Biological Psychiatry Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging · doi:10.1016/j.bpsc.2025.09.016
Self-citationWoodward, T. J., Dimén, D., Sizemore, E. F., Stockman, S., Kazi, F., Luquet, S. H., Mackie, K., Katona, I., & Hohmann, A. G. (2025) · Neuropharmacology · doi:10.1016/j.neuropharm.2025.110702 · Cited by 6
Endocannabinoids and the neurobiology of emotional states
Petrie, G. N., Lunge, A. R., Mayo, L. M., & Hill, M. N. (2025) · Handbook of behavioral neuroscience · doi:10.1016/b978-0-443-13908-6.00021-9
Self-citationSteardo, L., D'Angelo, M., Stefano, V. D., Monaco, F., Fornaro, M., & Steardo, L. (2025) · Journal of Psychiatric Research · doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2025.10.071 · Cited by 1
Doucette, M. L., Macfarlan, D. L., Kasabuski, M., Chin, J., & Fisher, E. (2026) · Psychiatry International · doi:10.3390/psychiatryint7030128
Song, Y., Huang, B., Wu, J., Lin, J., Xin, K., Gao, B., Kemp, G. J., Guo, B., & Gong, Q. (2026) · Psychological Medicine · doi:10.1017/s0033291726104838
Haggarty, C. J., & Rabinak, C. A. (2026) · Neuropsychopharmacology · doi:10.1038/s41386-026-02502-2
Posttraumatische Belastungsstörung
O’Brien, K., & Blair, P. (2026) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-032-14521-5_7
Li, X., Zhu, Y., Ji, Y., Yao, X., Qi, L., & Sun, H. (2026) · Biochemical Pharmacology · doi:10.1016/j.bcp.2026.118359
Longitudinal changes in endocannabinoids and clinical course of adolescent non-suicidal self-injury
Ferger, M. D., Brodesser, S., Kaess, M., & Koenig, J. (2026) · Translational Psychiatry · doi:10.1038/s41398-026-04391-x
Gaudette, E. V., Green, D. G. J., Watling, S. E., Dheda, S. S., Lora, S., Zilberman, M., Hill, M. N., Tyndale, R. F., Richardson, J. D., McCluskey, T., et al. (2026) · Biological Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2026.09.008
Self-citationZuo, H., Li, J., Li, J., Zhang, X., & Zhang, B. (2026) · Journal of Advanced Research · doi:10.1016/j.jare.2026.10.015
Metadata
- Authors
- Hill, M. N., Bierer, L. M., Makotkine, I., Golier, J. A., Galea, S., McEwen, B. S., Hillard, C. J., & Yehuda, R.
- Affiliations
- University of Calgary (CA)
- James J. Peters VA Medical Center (US)
- Columbia University (US)
- Rockefeller University (US)
- Medical College of Wisconsin (US)
- Corresponding author
- Hill, Matthew N.
- Venue
- Psychoneuroendocrinology
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2013-12
- Volume
- 38
- Issue
- 12
- Pages
- 2952-2961
- ISSN
- 0306-4530 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC3870889
- OpenAlex
- W2024564598
- Cited by
- 256
- References
- 56
- Citations by year
- 2026: 8 · 2025: 27 · 2024: 24 · 2023: 22 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 28 · 2020: 24 · 2019: 22 · 2018: 28 · 2017: 16 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 19 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 2
- FWCI
- 10.03
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Psychoneuroendocrinology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- Canadian Institutes of Health Research
- National Institute of Mental Health (MH-41256, R37MH041256, R01MH041256, R56MH077321)
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (R01DA026996, DA026996)
- National Center for Research Resources (5 M01RR00071, M01RR000071)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology (medical) › Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Keywords
- post-traumatic stress disorder, endocannabinoids, 2-arachidonoylglycerol, anandamide, cortisol, September 11 attacks, World Trade Center, intrusion symptoms, emotional memory, stress response, plasma biomarkers
- MeSH terms
- Aged, Alcoholism, Amides, Arachidonic Acids, Ethanolamines, Ethnicity, Female, Glycerides, Humans, Hydrocortisone, Male, Middle Aged, Neuropsychological Tests, Oleic Acids, Palmitic Acids, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Sex Characteristics, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Terrorism, Polyunsaturated Alkamides, Endocannabinoids
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
