Abstract
Since the discovery of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) as the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, and the cloning of cannabinoid receptors and the identification of their endogenous ligands, known as endocannabinoids, our understanding of the molecular basis and functions of the endocannabinoid signaling system has evolved considerably. Extensive research in the last two decades has consolidated our view on endocannabinoids as powerful regulators of synaptic function throughout the central nervous system. Their role as retrograde messengers suppressing transmitter release in a transient or long-lasting manner, at both excitatory and inhibitory synapses, is now well established. However, growing evidence suggests that retrograde signaling may not be the only way by which endocannabinoids control neural activity. Regardless of the precise mechanism of action, it is widely believed that by targeting synaptic function, endocannabinoids can regulate a wide range of neural functions, including cognition, motor control, feeding behaviors and pain control. In this lecture, the speaker will discuss recent discoveries on major molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying endocannabinoid-mediated plasticity in the mammalian brain.
About the speaker
Prof Pablo Castillo received his MSc in Neuroscience and PhD in Biology-Neuroscience in 1990 and 1998 from Universidad de la Republica in Uruguay. He became a Visiting Research Fellow at Stanford University in 1999, and joined Albert Einstein College of Medicine in 2001, where he is currently the Harold and Muriel Block Chair Professor of Neuroscience.
Prof Castillo’s research is to understand the cellular and molecular basis of activity-dependent changes in synaptic strength at both excitatory and inhibitory connections, and how such changes are modified during pathological conditions.
Prof Castillo received numerous awards including Pew Biomedical Scholar Award by the Pew Charitable Trust in 2003 and the NARSAD Independent Investigator Award in 2006.
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