Endocannabinoid System: The Learning

1. Endocannabinoid System: The Learning Our brains work pretty similar to the computers. The computer chips have transistors and we have the synapses. Now a question has risen in your brain that “What is synapses?” Well, a synapse is the tiny gap where two neurons meet and exchange information in the form of chemical (like dopamine or serotonin) neurotransmitters. So basically there are two neurons: one which sends the signals called presynaptic and another one which receives the signals is called postsynaptic. This is the essential way that our brain works and this process is called anterograde signalling. Anterograde means in a forward direction. But still we were in a dark to find how we learn and how certain neural pathways get reinforced, and how the negative feedback works. For so many years, researchers have been predicted that there had to be a retrograde signalling system which allowed the neurons to send signals in “reverse direction”. In early ‘90s, they

2. found their lost sheep with the discovery of Endocannabinoid system. How is the endocannabinoid system involved? The endocannabinoid system was the first retrograde system discovered. All the CB1 receptors in our brains are located in the presynaptic axons and neurons. It was the very first sign that endocannabinoid could facilitate retrograde transmission. The next discovery of how anandamide and 2-AG, our endocannabinoids, are produced and solved the mystery completely. Dendritic synthesis of endocannabinoids The Dendrite, postsynaptic part of the neuron is on the receiving end of communication. However, with the endocannabinoid system, the axons receive the instruction as the dendrite makes the call the reserve of normal transmission. Anterograde signalling causes calcium channels to open in the postsynaptic neuron in the excitatory neurons which alters the charge of the cell and produces an action potential. This is a fancy terminology for “The Neuron Fires”. Having an effect of activating an enzyme, the calcium that pours into the neuron and also produces the endocannabinoids. It the calcium influx is healthy, then it produces 2-AG, if it’s not, then it produces AEA. Now if one of them is produced, it automatically get released back into the synapse travelling to the opposite direction, backward to the axon of the presynaptic neuron. There, CB1 receptors are bind with it and caused the cell to produce more or less of the first signal it sent: An excitatory response is produced by 2-AG and AEA (mimics THC) produced the inhibitory response.