Biological psychiatry
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Biological psychiatry · Mar 2014
The hypocretin/orexin receptor-1 as a novel target to modulate cannabinoid reward.
Cannabis is the most widely used illicit drug in the world. Although there is a high prevalence of users who seek treatment for cannabis dependence, no accepted pharmacologic treatment is available to facilitate and maintain abstinence. The hypocretin/orexin system plays a critical role in drug addiction, but the potential participation of this system in the addictive properties of cannabinoids is unknown. ⋯ These findings demonstrate that Hcrtr-1 modulates the reinforcing properties of cannabinoids, which could have a clear therapeutic interest.