Can Cannabinoids Help Treat Obsessive Compulsive Disorders?

The endocannabinoid system of the body, because of its essential role in the regulation of neurotransmitter signaling, is an attractive target for the development of drugs against disorders badociated with anxiety, stress and behavior repetitive, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). A comprehensive new review that provides insight into this complex system, endogenous and exogenous cannabinoids, animal test results and human trials, as well as recommendations for future directions, is published in Research on cannabis and cannabinoids.

The article entitled "The endocannabinoid system: a new therapeutic target for obsessive-compulsive disorder?" was co-authored by Dr. Reilly Kayser, Ivar Snorrbadon, Ph.D., Margaret Haney, Ph.D., and H. Blair Simpson, MD, Ph.D., Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Vagelos, and Francis Lee, MD, Ph.D., Weill Cornell Medical College, (New York, NY). The researchers present evidence linking the endocannabinoid system to the underlying pathology of OCD. They are also exploring the possibility of targeting this system to relieve symptoms of OCD and related disorders such as anxiety disorders, tic disorder and impulse control. The review includes a broad overview of cannabinoids manufactured by the body, as well as exogenous cannabinoids, including phytocannabinoids found in the marijuana plant and purified and synthetic cannabinoids.

On the basis of both animal study data showing anxiolytic and anti-compulsive effects of cannabinoid agents and preliminary data from clinical trials on humans, the authors suggest that ## 147 ################################################################################## 39, a continuous pharmaceutical development is justified. The cannabinoid agents to be tested and how to measure their effects will be important issues to consider when designing future studies.

"Is there a place for cannabinoid-based drugs in psychiatry? Evidence from animal and human studies suggests that the endocannabinoid system is an important regulator of emotionality, but how can We use this knowledge for therapeutic purposes – the evidence, focused on obsessive-compulsive disorder and research leads, "says Daniele Piomelli, Ph.D., editor, University of California at Irvine, Faculty of Medicine.