Cited by 304Cannabis and Cannabinoid ResearchStress Responses and CortisolNeuropeptides and Animal Physiology

Suppression of amygdalar endocannabinoid signaling by stress contributes to activation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis

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Hill, Matthew N, McLaughlin, Ryan J, Morrish, Anna C, Viau, Victor, Floresco, Stan B, Hillard, Cecilia J, Gorzalka, Boris B·2009·Neuropsychopharmacology

Abstract

Endocannabinoids inhibit hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity; however, the neural substrates and pathways subserving this effect are not well characterized. The amygdala is a forebrain structure that provides excitatory drive to the HPA axis under conditions of stress. The aim of this study was to determine the contribution of endocannabinoid signaling within distinct amygdalar nuclei to activation of the HPA axis in response to psychological stress. Exposure of rats to 30-min restraint stress increased the hydrolytic activity of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) and concurrently decreased content of the endocannabinoid/CB(1) receptor ligand N-arachidonylethanolamine (anandamide; AEA) throughout the amygdala. In stressed rats, AEA content in the amygdala was inversely correlated with serum corticosterone concentrations. Pharmacological inhibition of FAAH activity within the basolateral amygdala complex (BLA) attenuated stress-induced corticosterone secretion; this effect was blocked by co-administration of the CB(1) receptor antagonist AM251, suggesting that stress-induced decreases in CB(1) receptor activation by AEA contribute to activation of the neuroendocrine stress response. Local administration into the BLA of a CB(1) receptor agonist significantly reduced stress-induced corticosterone secretion, whereas administration of a CB(1) receptor antagonist increased corticosterone secretion. Taken together, these findings suggest that the degree to which stressful stimuli reduce amygdalar AEA/CB(1) receptor signaling contributes to the magnitude of the HPA response.

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Crossref · 10.1038/npp.2009.114

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  • Most effects of lipid signaling molecules on stress and memory are central.

    “Other limitations of our study result from the fact that we measured peripheral plasma concentrations of ECs/NAEs whereas most effects of lipid signaling molecules on stress and memory are central [13]–[15], [44].”
  • Increasing AEA by inhibiting FAAH with URB597 reduces the HPA axis and anxiety-like response to stress.

    “Second, increasing AEA by inhibiting FAAH (with URB597) reduces the HPA axis and anxiety-like response to stress [58,66].”
  • CB1R antagonism increases BLA excitability, activates the HPA axis, and increases anxiety-like behavior.

    “First, presumably by removing AEA-mediated tonic inhibitory activity, CB1R antagonism increases BLA excitability [61–63], activates the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis and increases anxiety-like behavior [58,64,65].”
  • Stress produces divergent effects on AEA and 2-AG levels in the BLA, with an elevation in 2-AG levels and a rapid induction of FAAH activity and resultant decline in the AEA pool following exposure to various types of stress.

    “Interestingly, stress appears to produce divergent effects on AEA and 2-AG levels in the BLA – with an elevation in 2-AG levels [57], but a rapid induction of FAAH activity and a resultant decline in the pool of AEA [58–60] were reported following exposure to various types of stress.”
  • The anti-stress effects of FAAH inhibition are localized specifically within the BLA: only infusion of URB597 into the BLA, and not CeA or medial amygdala, is effective.

    “These actions of FAAH inhibition have been localized to actions specifically within the BLA by the finding that only infusion of URB597 into the BLA, and not CeA or medial amygdala, is effective in producing these anti-stress effects [58].”

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Authors
Hill, M. N., McLaughlin, R. J., Morrish, A. C., Viau, V., Floresco, S. B., Hillard, C. J., & Gorzalka, B. B.
Affiliations
  • University of British Columbia (CA)
  • Medical College of Wisconsin (US)
Corresponding author
Hill, Matthew N
Venue
Neuropsychopharmacology
Published
2009-08-26
Volume
34
Issue
13
Pages
2733-2745
ISSN
  • 0893-133X (ISSN-L)
  • 1740-634X
OpenAlex
W2074290211
Cited by
304
References
68
Citations by year
2026: 9 · 2025: 19 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 17 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 25 · 2020: 20 · 2019: 19 · 2018: 20 · 2017: 19 · 2016: 24 · 2015: 29 · 2014: 11 · 2013: 17 · 2012: 17
FWCI
12.09
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Neuropsychopharmacology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • Medical College of Wisconsin
  • Michael Smith Health Research BC
  • National Institutes of Health
  • Canadian Institutes of Health Research
  • Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
  • National Institute on Drug Abuse (R21DA022439)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuropeptides and Animal Physiology
Keywords
endocannabinoids, amygdala, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, psychological stress, restraint stress, fatty acid amide hydrolase, anandamide, CB1 receptor, corticosterone, basolateral amygdala, neuroendocrine stress response, CB1 receptor agonists
MeSH terms
Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolases, Amidohydrolases, Amygdala, Animals, Arachidonic Acids, Benzamides, Carbamates, Corticosterone, Drug Interactions, Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System, Male, Microinjections, Piperidines, Pituitary-Adrenal System, Pyrazoles, Restraint, Physical, Stress, Psychological, Dronabinol, Signal Transduction, Rats, Sprague-Dawley, Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1, Rats, Polyunsaturated Alkamides, Cannabinoid Receptor Modulators, Endocannabinoids

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