Category Archives: Schizophrenia

Drug repurposing and emerging adjunctive treatments for schizophrenia.

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“Schizophrenia is a frequent disorder, which substantially impairs patients’ quality of life. Moreover, the burden of illness for patients, their families and for the society, in general, is substantial.

Given the current failure of a number of mechanistically new drugs, repurposed compounds may serve as alternative and/or adjunctive agents for schizophrenic patients and for treatment refractory patients in particular. Anti-inflammatory drugs, as well as N-acetylcysteine, a precursor of the major antioxidant glutathione, hormones, glutamatergic and nicotinergic compounds, ‘nutraceuticals’ (e.g., ω-3 fatty acids) and cannabidiol, an endocannabinoid modulator, represent promising agents in this field.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25866122

Further human evidence for striatal dopamine release induced by administration of ∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC): selectivity to limbic striatum.

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“In the largest data set of healthy participants so far, we provide evidence for a modest increase in human striatal dopamine transmission after administration of THC compared to other drugs of abuse.

This finding suggests limited involvement of the endocannabinoid system in regulating human striatal dopamine release and thereby challenges the hypothesis that an increase in striatal dopamine levels after cannabis use is the primary biological mechanism underlying the associated higher risk of schizophrenia.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25801289

http://www.thctotalhealthcare.com/category/schizophrenia/

Association of single nucleotide polymorphisms in catechol-O-methyltransferase and serine-threonine protein kinase genes in the Pakistani schizophrenic population: a study with special emphasis on cannabis and smokeless tobacco.

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“Schizophrenia is a neuropsychiatric disorder in which abnormalities in the prefrontal cortex lead to impaired synthesis of dopamine. It is associated with hallucination, psychosis and hearing impairments. Many susceptible genes have been identified in schizophrenia such as catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) and serine/threonine kinase (AKT1).

Moreover, a study based on a single family showed COMT Met allele inheritance in schizophrenic offspring. This suggested that COMT allele alteration influences susceptibility to at least some forms of psychosis…

Interestingly, according to our socio-economic survey, COMT genotype has no association with cannabis but it is strongly associated with tobacco.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25801838

http://www.thctotalhealthcare.com/category/schizophrenia/

 

For whom the endocannabinoid tolls: Modulation of innate immune function and implications for psychiatric disorders.

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“Over the past decade, there has been increasing evidence demonstrating that the endocannabinoid system can elicit potent modulatory effects on inflammatory processes, with clinical and preclinical evidence demonstrating beneficial effects on disease severity and symptoms in several inflammatory conditions.

This review examines the evidence supporting a modulatory effect of endocannabinoids on TLR-mediated immune responses both peripherally and centrally, and the implications for psychiatric disorders such as depression and schizophrenia.

CLASSES OF CANNABINOID-BASED PHARMACOLOGICAL AGENTS CITED IN THE REVIEW: Nonselective CB1/CB2 agonists: Δ9-THC, HU210, CP55940, WIN55,212-2 Selective CB2 agonists: JWH-015 FAAH inhibitors: URB597, AA-5HT MAGL/ABHD6 inhibitors: JZL184, MJN110, KML129, WWL70 Endocannabinoid reuptake inhibitors: UCM707, OMDM1/2, AM404.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25794989

Decreased glial reactivity could be involved in the antipsychotic-like effect of cannabidiol.

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“Cannabidiol (CBD), a major non-psychotomimetic constituent of Cannabis sativa with anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties induces antipsychotic-like effects.

The present study evaluated if repeated treatment with CBD would attenuate the behavioral and glial changes observed in an animal model of schizophrenia…

These data reinforces the proposal that CBD may induce antipsychotic-like effects.

Although the possible mechanism of action of these effects is still unknown, it may involve CBD anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties.

Furthermore, our data support the view that inhibition of microglial activation may improve schizophrenia symptoms.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25680767

http://www.thctotalhealthcare.com/category/schizophrenia/

A systematic review of the antipsychotic properties of cannabidiol in humans.

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“Despite extensive study over the past decades, available treatments for schizophrenia are only modestly effective and cause serious metabolic and neurological side effects. Therefore, there is an urgent need for novel therapeutic targets for the treatment of schizophrenia.

A highly promising new pharmacological target in the context of schizophrenia is the endocannabinoid system…

the non-psychotropic, plant-derived cannabinoid agent cannabidiol (CBD) may have antipsychotic properties, and thus may be a promising new agent in the treatment of schizophrenia.

Here we review studies that investigated the antipsychotic properties of CBD in human subjects.

Results show the ability of CBD to counteract psychotic symptoms and cognitive impairment associated with cannabis use as well as with acute THC administration.

In addition, CBD may lower the risk for developing psychosis that is related to cannabis use.

These effects are possibly mediated by opposite effects of CBD and THC on brain activity patterns in key regions implicated in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia, such as the striatum, hippocampus and prefrontal cortex.

The first small-scale clinical studies with CBD treatment of patients with psychotic symptoms further confirm the potential of CBD as an effective, safe and well-tolerated antipsychotic compound, although large randomised clinical trials will be needed before this novel therapy can be introduced into clinical practice.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25667194

http://www.thctotalhealthcare.com/category/schizophrenia/

Cannabidiol Attenuates Sensorimotor Gating Disruption and Molecular Changes Induced by Chronic Antagonism of NMDA receptors in Mice.

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“Preclinical and clinical data suggest that cannabidiol (CBD), a major non-psychotomimetic compound from Cannabis sativa, induces antipsychotic-like effects…

These results indicate that repeated treatment with CBD, similar to clozapine, reverses the psychotomimetic-like effects and attenuates molecular changes observed after chronic administration of an NMDAR antagonist.

These data support the view that CBD may have antipsychotic properties.”  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25618402

“Cannabidiol, a Cannabis sativa constituent, as an antipsychotic drug… a controlled clinical trial comparing CBD with an atypical antipsychotic drug have confirmed that this cannabinoid can be a safe and well-tolerated alternative treatment for schizophrenia.” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16612464

“A critical review of the antipsychotic effects of cannabidiol: 30 years of a translational investigation… These results support the idea that CBD may be a future therapeutic option in psychosis, in general and in schizophrenia, in particular.” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22716160

http://www.thctotalhealthcare.com/category/schizophrenia/

Schizophrenic Genes may Increase Cannabis Use, Quantity

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Marijuana Joint

“Study results showed that those who were genetically pre-disposed to schizophrenia were more likely to use cannabis and in greater quantities than those who did not possess schizophrenia risk genes.

… a pre-disposition to schizophrenia increases your likelihood of cannabis use,””

http://www.scienceworldreport.com/articles/15633/20140624/schizophrenic-genes-may-increase-cannabis-use-quantity.htm

Schizophrenia And Marijuana Use May Be Linked By The Same Set Of Genes

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“A new study published in Molecular Psychiatry suggests that people who are genetically predisposed to developing schizophrenia may also have the propensity for cannabis use, influenced by the same set of genes. The study is a collaboration between King’s College London and the Queensland Institute of Medical Research in Australia, partly funded by the UK Medical Research Council (MRC).

“We know that cannabis increases the risk of schizophrenia. Our study certainly does not rule this out, but it suggests that there is likely to be an association in the other direction as well – that a pre-disposition to schizophrenia also increases your likelihood of cannabis use,” Power said. “Our study highlights the complex interactions between genes and environments when we talk about cannabis as a risk factor for schizophrenia. Certain environmental risks, such as cannabis use, may be more likely given an individual’s innate behaviour and personality, itself influenced by their genetic make-up.””

http://www.medicaldaily.com/schizophrenia-and-marijuana-use-may-be-linked-same-set-genes-289574

Genetic predisposition to schizophrenia associated with increased use of cannabis.

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“Although considerable evidence implicates cannabis use as a component cause of schizophrenia, it remains unclear whether this is entirely due to cannabis directly raising risk of psychosis, or whether the same genes that increases psychosis risk may also increase risk of cannabis use.

Although directly predicting only a small amount of the variance in cannabis use, these findings suggest that part of the association between schizophrenia and cannabis is due to a shared genetic aetiology. This form of gene-environment correlation is an important consideration when calculating the impact of environmental risk factors, including cannabis use.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24957864

http://www.nature.com/mp/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/mp201451a.html

http://www.thctotalhealthcare.com/category/schizophrenia/