[R.B.]

Impacts on brain development and hormonal pathways.

Again focuses on Omega 6 endocannabinoids, underlining the need for much more research on the Omega 3 cannabinoids.

Further how do plant cannabinoids impact the Omega 3 cannabioids pathways.

Again more questions than answers, but clearly again makes the point, there needs to be a mature balanced approach on all sides, better information as to both risks and benefits, susceptible groups, wider related dietary issues etc




The Role of the Endocannabinoid System and Genetic Variation in Adolescent Brain Development

"Emerging evidence suggests that during adolescence, changes in eCB signaling contribute to the maturation of local and corticolimbic circuit populations of neurons, such as mediating the balance between excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission within the prefrontal cortex. This function of the eCB system facilitates efficient communication within and between brain regions and serves a central role in establishing complex and adaptive cognitive and behavioral processing. Although these peri-adolescent changes in eCB signaling promote brain development and plasticity, they also render this period a particularly sensitive one for environmental perturbations to these normative fluctuations in eCB signaling, such as stress, potentially leading to altered developmental trajectories of neural circuits governing emotional behaviors."


"Given the timing of puberty and changes in the eCB system, it is possible that pubertal changes in hormone secretion relate to fluctuations in eCB signaling during adolescence. Sex differences have been observed in the timing of fluctuations in eCB system expression, with CB1 receptor expression levels peaking earlier in females than males (RodrÃ*guez de Fonseca et al, 1993). In both sexes, peak expression occurs just before the onset of puberty, which is ~PND 35 in female rodents and ~PND 40 in male rodents. Likewise, levels of AEA in hypothalamus have also been shown to peak immediately prior to puberty in female rodents (Wenger et al, 2002). Subsequently, eCB activity fluctuates throughout the estrous and menstrual cycles as well (González et al, 2000; Bradshaw et al, 2006; El-Talatini et al, 2010). A close interaction between the endocannabinoid system and gonadal hormones (Murphy et al, 1991; RodrÃ*guez de Fonseca et al, 1994) might contribute to the major developmental changes occurring in the eCB system during pubertal maturation. The eCB system has been shown to modulate the release and activity of gonadal hormones (androgens, estrogen, and progesterone) and gonadotrophins (follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone) in humans and rodents alike (Kolodny et al, 1974; Dalterio et al, 1977; Dalterio et al, 1983; Kumar and Chen, 1983; RodrÃ*guez de Fonseca et al, 1994; Wenger et al, 2001; Tsutahara et al, 2011)."