Journal
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
Volume 24, Issue 11, Pages -Publisher
MDPI
DOI: 10.3390/ijms24119371
Keywords
substance use disorders; biomarkers; endocannabinoids; acylethanolamides; neuroleptics; psychiatric co-morbidity
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Plasma acylethanolamides (NAEs), including the endocannabinoid anandamide (AEA), have been proposed as circulating biomarkers of substance use disorders. Neuroleptic treatment enhances the concentrations of NAEs, especially AEA, LEA, and OEA. The study emphasizes the need to control the current use of psychotropic medication as a confounding variable when considering the use of NAEs as biomarkers in SUD.
Plasma acylethanolamides (NAEs), including the endocannabinoid anandamide (AEA), have been proposed as circulating biomarkers of substance use disorders. However, the concentration of these lipid transmitters might be influenced by the use of drugs prescribed for either the treatment of addiction or the associated psychiatric co-morbidities such as psychosis. As an example, neuroleptics, used for attenuation of psychotic symptoms and sedation, might theoretically interfere with the monoamine-mediated production of NAEs, obstructing the interpretation of plasma NAEs as clinical biomarkers. To solve the lack of information on the impact of neuroleptics on the concentration of NAEs, we evaluated the concentrations of NAEs in a control group and compared them to those present in (a) substance use disorders (SUD) patients that are not prescribed with neuroleptics, and (b) SUD patients (both alcohol use disorder and cocaine use disorder patients) using neuroleptics. The results demonstrate that SUD patients exhibited greater concentrations of NAEs than the control population, affecting all species with the exception of stearoylethanolamide (SEA) and palmitoleoylethanolamide (POEA). Neuroleptic treatment enhanced the concentrations of NAEs, especially those of AEA, linoleoylethanolamide (LEA), and oleoylethanolamide (OEA). This effect of neuroleptic treatment was observed independently of the drug addiction that motivated the demand for treatment (either alcohol or cocaine). This study remarks the need to control the current use of psychotropic medication as a potential confounding variable when considering the use of NAEs as biomarkers in SUD.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available