Abstract
This review addresses the issue of sex differences in the response to cannabinoid compounds focusing mainly on behaviors belonging to the cognitive and emotional sphere. Sexual dimorphism exists in the different components of the endocannabinoid system. Males seem to have higher CB1 receptor binding sites than females, but females seem to possess more efficient CB1 receptors. Differences between sexes have been also observed in the metabolic processing of THC, the main psychoactive ingredient of marijuana. The consistent dimorphism in the endocannabinoid system and THC metabolism may justify at least in part the different sensitivity observed between male and female animals in different behavioral paradigms concerning emotion and cognition after treatment with cannabinoid compounds. On the basis of these observations, we would like to emphasize the need of including females in basic research and to analyze results for sex differences in epidemiological studies.
Highlights
This review addresses the issue of sex differences in the response to cannabinoid compounds focusing mainly on behaviors belonging to the cognitive and emotional sphere
On the basis of these observations, we would like to emphasize the need of including females in basic research and to analyze results for sex differences in epidemiological studies
This review addresses the issue of sex influences on the endocannabinoid system both in term of differences in the components of the system between sexes and differences in the response to cannabinoid compounds, focusing on behaviors belonging to the cognitive and emotional sphere
Summary
SEX DIFFERENCES IN THE ENDOCANNABINOID SYSTEM Very few data are available regarding sex differences in cannabinoid CB1 receptor density and coupling to G proteins, and fewer ones are available on the endocannabinoid levels Despite this limitation, a rather clear picture arises for CB1 receptor: in all the papers where CB1 receptor levels were measured in both male and female animals, a higher density was observed in males in almost all the cerebral regions analyzed (Rubino et al, 2008; Burston et al, 2010; Mateos et al, 2010; Riebe et al, 2010).
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