• Alexander F Hoffman and Carl R Lupica.
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, Electrophysiology Research Section, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, USA.
• Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med. 2013 Aug 1; 3 (8).

AbstractThe availability of potent synthetic agonists for cannabinoid receptors has facilitated our understanding of cannabinoid actions on synaptic transmission in the central nervous system. Moreover, the ability of these compounds to inhibit neurotransmitter release at many central synapses is thought to underlie most of the behavioral effects of cannabinoid agonists. However, despite the widespread use and misuse of marijuana, and recognition of its potential adverse psychological effects in humans, comparatively few studies have examined the actions of its primary psychoactive constituent, Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), at well-defined synaptic pathways. Here we examine the recent literature describing the effects of acute and repeated THC exposure on synaptic function in several brain regions and explore the importance of these neurobiological actions of THC in drug addiction.

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