Endocannabinoids, “New-Old” Mediators of Stress Homeostasis

Hauer, Daniela; Schelling, Gustav

doi:10.1007/978-3-030-16996-1_10

Cited by 5 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 125 publications

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“…Therefore, recent research on the consequences of early adversity has increasingly focused on the endocannabinoid (eCB) system (e.g. Bassir Nia, Bender, & Harpaz-Rotem, 2019; Behnke et al, 2020; Koenig et al, 2018b), as it critically co-regulates the HPA axis and the activity of immune cells (review in Hauer, Toth, & Schelling, 2020; Hillard, 2018; Riebe & Wotjak, 2011). The eCB system comprises the eCBs anandamide ( N -arachidonoylethanolamine, AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), their endogenous cannabinoid receptors (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Furthermore, the eCB system comprises various N -acylethanolamides (NAEs), including palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), oleoylethanolamide (OEA), and stearoylethanolamide (SEA) (Dlugos, Childs, Stuhr, Hillard, & de Wit, 2012), which are structurally highly similar to AEA and may enhance its effects (Ho, Barrett, & Randall, 2008; Jonsson, Vandevoorde, Lambert, Tiger, & Fowler, 2001). NAEs do not seem to be biologically active under physiological conditions, but rather exhibit their properties and functions only under certain conditions, i.e., stress (Hauer et al, 2013; 2020). The eCB system acts as a pivotal co-regulator of HPA-axis activity: AEA suppresses HPA-axis activity by binding to CB 1 receptors (Hill et al, 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Confronted with a stressor, FAAH rapidly degrades AEA to disinhibit the HPA axis which eventually initiates the secretion of glucocorticoids from the adrenal glands. As negative feedback, the secretion of cortisol stimulates the synthesis of 2-AG which restores HPA-axis homeostasis and normalizes AEA levels (Bassir Nia et al, 2019; Hauer et al, 2020). This regulation is also mirrored through negative associations between 2-AG and glucocorticoid levels measured in the hair of adults (Behnke et al, 2021; 2020) and during pregnancy (Krumbholz, Anielski, Reisch, Schelling, & Thieme, 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Correspondingly, a number of studies linked higher peripheral eCB and NAE concentrations to inflammatory states (Barrie & Manolios, 2017; Berdyshev et al, 2015; Crowe, Nass, Gabella, & Kinsey, 2014). Despite these results, the regulatory direction in the crosstalk of eCBs and NAEs and the immune response is not yet fully understood and could also be bidirectional (Hauer et al, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Longitudinal course of endocannabinoids andN-acylethanolamines in hair of mothers and their children in the first year postpartum: investigating the relevance of maternal childhood maltreatment experiences

et al. 2023

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Background Childhood maltreatment (CM) exerts long-lasting psychological and biological alterations in affected individuals and might also affect the endocannabinoid (eCB) system which modulates inflammation and the endocrine stress response. Here, we investigated the eCB system of women with and without CM and their infants using hair samples representing eCB levels accumulated during the last trimester of pregnancy and 10–12 months postpartum. Methods CM exposure was assessed with the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. At both timepoints, 3 cm hair strands were collected from mothers and children (N = 170 resp. 150) to measure anandamide (AEA), 2/1-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG/1-AG), stearoylethanolamide (SEA), oleoylethanolamide (OEA), and palmitoylethanolamide (PEA). Results Maternal hair levels of 2-AG/1-AG increased and SEA levels decreased from late pregnancy to one year postpartum. Maternal CM was associated with lower SEA levels in late pregnancy, but not one year later. In the children's hair, levels of 2-AG/1-AG increased while levels of SEA, OEA, and PEA decreased from late pregnancy to one year later. Maternal CM was not consistently associated with the eCB levels measured in children's hair. Conclusions We provide first evidence for longitudinal change in the eCB system of mothers and infants from pregnancy to one year later. While maternal CM influenced the maternal eCB system, we found no consistent intergenerational effects on early regulation of the eCB system in children. Longitudinal research on the importance of the eCB system for the course and immunoregulation of pregnancy as well as for the children's development.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Longitudinal course of endocannabinoids andN-acylethanolamines in hair of mothers and their children in the first year postpartum: investigating the relevance of maternal childhood maltreatment experiences

et al. 2023

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Childbirth-related posttraumatic stress symptoms – examining associations with hair endocannabinoid concentrations during pregnancy and lifetime trauma

Bergunde,

Karl,

Schälicke

et al. 2023

Transl Psychiatry

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Evidence has linked alterations of the endocannabinoid system with trauma exposure and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Childbirth-related PTSD symptoms (CB-PTSS) affect about every eighth woman and can negatively influence the entire family. While aetiological models of CB-PTSD include psychological risk factors such as maternal trauma history and negative subjective birth experience (SBE), they lack biological risk indicators. We investigated whether lifetime trauma and CB-PTSS were associated with long-term endocannabinoid concentrations during pregnancy. Further, we tested endocannabinoids as mediators between lifetime trauma and CB-PTSS and whether SBE moderated such mediational paths. Within the prospective cohort study DREAMHAIR, 263 expectant mothers completed trauma assessments and provided hair samples for quantification of long-term endocannabinoid levels (anandamide [AEA], 2-arachidonoylglycerol [1-AG/2-AG], and N-acyl-ethanolamides [NAE]) prior to their anticipated birth date. Two months postpartum, CB-PTSS and SBE were measured. Regression models controlling for relevant confounders showed no association between lifetime trauma and hair endocannabinoids during pregnancy, yet higher number of lifetime trauma events and lower hair AEA were significantly associated with CB-PTSS, with the latter finding not remaining significant when Bonferroni corrections due to multiple testing were applied. While hair AEA did not mediate the association between lifetime trauma and CB-PTSS, the effect of lower hair AEA on CB-PTSS was stronger upon negative SBE. Results suggest greater lifetime trauma and reduced maternal hair AEA during pregnancy may be associated with increased risk for CB-PTSS, particularly upon negative SBE. Findings confirm lifetime trauma as a CB-PTSS risk factor and add important preliminary insights on the role of endocannabinoid ligand alterations and SBE in CB-PTSS pathology.

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Stability and inter-family associations of hair endocannabinoid and N-acylethanolamines across the perinatal period in mothers, fathers, and children

Bergunde,

Steudte-Schmiedgen,

Karl

et al. 2024

Sci Rep

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Analysis of endocannabinoids (ECs) and N-acylethanolamines (NAEs) in hair is assumed to retrospectively assess long-term EC/NAE concentrations. To inform their use, this study investigated stability of EC/NAE hair concentrations in mothers, fathers, and their children across the perinatal period as well as associations between family members. In a prospective cohort study, EC (AEA, 1-AG/2-AG) and NAE (SEA, PEA, OEA) levels were quantified in hair samples taken four times in mothers (n = 336) and their partners (n = 225) from pregnancy to two years postpartum and in offspring (n = 319) from shortly after birth to two years postpartum. Across the perinatal period, maternal and paternal hair ECs/NAEs showed poor multiple-test consistency (16–36%) and variable relative stability, as well as inconsistent absolute stability for mothers. Regarding children, hair ECs/NAEs evidenced poor multiple-test consistency (4–19%), no absolute stability, and either no or variable relative stability. Hair ECs/NAEs showed small to medium significant associations across the perinatal period within couples and parent–child dyads. Findings suggest hair ECs/NAEs during the perinatal period possess variable stability in adults, albeit more stability in fathers than mothers in this time. This highlights the need to further investigate factors associated with changes in hair ECs/NAEs across time. The first two years of life may be a dynamic phase for the endocannabinoid system in children, potentially characterized by complex within-family correspondence that requires further systematic investigation.

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Endocannabinoids, “New-Old” Mediators of Stress Homeostasis

Cited by 5 publications

References 125 publications

Longitudinal course of endocannabinoids andN-acylethanolamines in hair of mothers and their children in the first year postpartum: investigating the relevance of maternal childhood maltreatment experiences

Longitudinal course of endocannabinoids andN-acylethanolamines in hair of mothers and their children in the first year postpartum: investigating the relevance of maternal childhood maltreatment experiences

Childbirth-related posttraumatic stress symptoms – examining associations with hair endocannabinoid concentrations during pregnancy and lifetime trauma

Stability and inter-family associations of hair endocannabinoid and N-acylethanolamines across the perinatal period in mothers, fathers, and children

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