Endocannabinoids and their receptors as targets for treating metabolic and psychiatric disorders

The CB1 receptor is arguably one of the most abundant GPCRs in the CNS and has long been attractive as a therapeutic target for a wide variety of therapeutic indications including pain, weight gain, emesis and mood disorders. Its cousin, the CB2 receptor, is highly localized in the immune cells regulating immune function and inflammatory pain. Direct acting nonselective agonists, while providing potentially broad therapeutic efficacy, also cause undesirable sedative and hypnotic side effects. New approaches to leverage cannabinoid biology for therapeutic benefit show promise of providing the therapeutic benefits without the buzz.

Section editors:David Sibley – National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, USAC. Anthony Altar – Psychiatric Genomics, Gaithersburg, USATheresa Branchek – Lundbeck Research, Paramus, USA