Circulating endocannabinoids and affect regulation in human subjects

• Published in: Psychoneuroendocrinology Vol. 92; pp. 66 - 71
• Main Authors: Coccaro, Emil F., Hill, Matthew N., Robinson, Lauren, Lee, Royce J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.06.2018
• Subjects: Adult; Affect - physiology; Affect regulation; Affective Symptoms - metabolism; Anxiety; Anxiety - metabolism; Arachidonic Acids - analysis; Arachidonic Acids - blood; Depression; Depression - metabolism; Emotions - physiology; Endocannabinoids; Endocannabinoids - analysis; Endocannabinoids - blood; Female; Glycerides - analysis; Glycerides - blood; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Polyunsaturated Alkamides - analysis; Polyunsaturated Alkamides - blood; Depression; Affect regulation; Anxiety; Endocannabinoids
• ISSN: 0306-4530; 1873-3360; 1873-3360
• DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.03.009

•The endocannabinoid (EC) system influences a wide variety of neurobiological processes.•We examined the role of circulating endocannabinoids in 175 individuals with and without mood, anxiety, and/or personality disorders.•Circulating anandamide (AEA) levels displayed an inverse relationship with a composite measure of affect regulation across all study participants.•Basal circulating levels of ECs may play a role in emotionality across individuals regardless of defined psychiatric disorder. The endocannabinoid (EC) system influences a wide variety of neurobiological processes including affect and emotionality as well as other neuropsychiatric functions. In this study we examined the relationship of circulating endocannabinoids [anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG)] with affect and emotionality in 175 individuals with (n = 115) and without (n = 60) mood, anxiety, and/or personality disorders. Circulating AEA levels displayed a modest, though statistically significant, inverse relationship with a composite measure of affect regulation (β = − 0.264, p = 0.009), due to its relationship with affect intensity (β = − 0.225, p = 0.021) across all study participants. Neither AEA nor 2-AG level differed as a function of any syndromal/personality disorder and neither correlated significantly with state depression or state anxiety scores. These data suggest that circulating levels endocannabinoids may play a role in emotionality across individuals regardless of defined psychiatric disorder.