Why cannabis affects the plasticity of neural circuits
Why cannabis affects the plasticity of neural circuits
A study led by Andrés Ozaita, a researcher at the NeuroPhar NeuroPhar Laboratory of Pompeu Fabra University (UPF) (Catalunya, Spain), shows how the main psychoactive component of cannabis affects the machinery necessary to maintain protein balance in the hippocampus.
The authors have discovered a mechanism by which cannabis would affect synaptic plasticity, that is, the ability of neurons to respond to stimuli by modifying their connections, necessary for processes such as learning and memory. The work, carried out in rodents, has been published in the journal Biochemical Pharmacology.
The derivatives of the Cannabis sativa plant, cannabis or marijuana, are the most consumed illegal drugs in the world. Its main psychoactive component, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), affects multiple brain functions, including cognitive performance.
"It is known that chronic cannabis use produces various changes on a cognitive scale," explains Victoria Salgado-Mendialdúa, first author of the article. "We decided to study the hippocampus because it is a key area of the brain for learning and memory, relevant to this harmful effect of THC," he adds.
The researchers analyzed hippocampal proteins that showed alterations three hours after administering an amnesic dose of THC. Subsequently, through the analysis of interaction networks, they saw that these proteins were related to the proteasome, a protein complex that is responsible for the degradation of proteins that are not necessary, or are damaged, facilitating their continuous replacement.
Microscopy image showing the pyramidal cells of the mouse hippocampus Thy1-EGFP. (Photo: UPF)
"It is plausible that THC can alter memory formation by reducing proteasome activity, since recent evidence shows that, at the synaptic level, where neurons connect with each other, proteasome activity is necessary at all times to maintain the plasticity of neural circuits. Adequate protein degradation is as important as the synthesis of new proteins for memory formation, "says Salgado-Mendialdúa.
In this study, it has been described for the first time how THC decreases proteasome activity in the hippocampus of the mouse, which will contribute to the imbalance between protein synthesis and degradation mechanisms necessary for the proper functioning of synapses.
"We are currently evaluating the relative relevance of this mechanism in the set of cellular processes modulated by THC in the brain that contribute to alterations in learning and memory," says Ozaita. "This study fits with previous studies from our group, where we observed that THC increased the signals of de novo protein synthesis, and as a whole it points out that THC unbalances synaptic protein synthesis / degradation processes," he concludes.
In addition, Joaquim Aguirre-Plans, Emre Guney and Baldomero Oliva of the Research Program in Biomedical Informatics (GRIB), joint program of the Department of Experimental Sciences and Health (DCEXS) and the Hospital del Mar Research Institute participated in the study. Medical (IMIM); Rafael Maldonado, director of the Laboratory of Neuropharmacology-NeuroPhar of the UPF, and Rita Reig-Viader and Àlex Bayés of the Biomedical Research Institute of Sant Pau (IIB Sant Pau) and the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB). (Source: UPF)
.
.
SOURCE LINK ERESVIRAL.COM https://www.beviral.online
Comentarios
Publicar un comentario