Cannabinoids and glial cells: possible mechanism to understand schizophrenia

Autor(es)

de Almeida, Valeria ^[1] ; Martins-de-Souza, Daniel ^{[2, 1]}

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Univ Campinas UNICAMP, Inst Biol, Dept Biochem & Tissue Biol, Lab Neuroprote, Rua Monteiro Lobato 255, BR-13083862 Campinas, SP - Brazil

^[2] Conselho Nacl Desenvolvimento Cient & Tecnol, Inst Nacl Biomarcadores Neuropsiquiatria INBION, Sao Paulo - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo de Revisão
• Fonte: EUROPEAN ARCHIVES OF PSYCHIATRY AND CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCE; v. 268, n. 7, p. 727-737, OCT 2018.
• Citações Web of Science: 2

Resumo

Clinical and neurobiological findings have reported the involvement of endocannabinoid signaling in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. This system modulates dopaminergic and glutamatergic neurotransmission that is associated with positive, negative, and cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia. Despite neurotransmitter impairments, increasing evidence points to a role of glial cells in schizophrenia pathobiology. Glial cells encompass three main groups: oligodendrocytes, microglia, and astrocytes. These cells promote several neurobiological functions, such as myelination of axons, metabolic and structural support, and immune response in the central nervous system. Impairments in glial cells lead to disruptions in communication and in the homeostasis of neurons that play role in pathobiology of disorders such as schizophrenia. Therefore, data suggest that glial cells may be a potential pharmacological tool to treat schizophrenia and other brain disorders. In this regard, glial cells express cannabinoid receptors and synthesize endocannabinoids, and cannabinoid drugs affect some functions of these cells that can be implicated in schizophrenia pathobiology. Thus, the aim of this review is to provide data about the glial changes observed in schizophrenia, and how cannabinoids could modulate these alterations. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 14/10068-4 - EMU concedido no processo 13/08711-3: espectrômetro de massas Waters SYNAPT G2-Si HDMs + nanoACQUITY UPLC
• Beneficiário: Daniel Martins-de-Souza
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Programa Equipamentos Multiusuários
• Processo FAPESP: 13/08711-3 - Desenvolvimento de um teste preditivo para medicação bem sucedida e compreensão das bases moleculares da esquizofrenia através da proteômica
• Beneficiário: Daniel Martins-de-Souza
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Jovens Pesquisadores