A new study published by Northwestern University has found that a natural cannabinoid in the body, 2-AG, plays a crucial role in regulating fear responses, particularly in individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety. Researchers discovered that lower levels of 2-AG are linked to exaggerated or overgeneralized fear reactions to non-threatening stimuli.
In mice and humans, the study found that 2-AG helps distinguish between real threats and harmless cues, acting as a natural filter for fear. By targeting this endocannabinoid system, scientists believe it may be possible to develop new treatments for anxiety-related disorders.
The study, led by Luis Rosas-Vidal, MD, PhD, found that lower levels of 2-AG were associated with increased fear generalization in both mice and humans. This suggests that 2-AG is a key regulator of fear responses and may be a promising target for new anxiety therapies.
Rosas-Vidal said, “We think that our findings are really exciting… They show both at the mechanistic and behavioral level how 2-AG is regulating fear responses.” The study’s results provide convergent cross-species evidence that 2-AG plays a key role in regulating fear generalization and support the notion that 2-AG deficiency could represent a trauma-related disorder susceptibility endophenotype.
The researchers plan to continue studying cannabinoid signaling in different neuron subtypes and the mechanisms mediating generalization, with the goal of developing new treatments for anxiety disorders.
Source: https://neurosciencenews.com/ptsd-endocannabinoid-2-ag-28989