Endocannabinoids and reproductive behaviour

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Previous research in our laboratory has focused on serotonin, a chemical messenger in the brain. Serotonin works in the brain by activating a number of different receptors, which in turn alter a number of behaviours. We have found that one specific serotonin receptor, the 2A receptor, has significant effects on reproductive behaviour. What is especially interesting is that the effects of this receptor on reproductive behaviour are opposite in males and females. Activating this 2A receptor in the rat, inhibits sexual activity in males and facilitates sexual activity in females. Just recently we completed a thorough review of the scientific literature on cannabis and reproductive behaviour, and concluded that cannabis might also exert opposite effects on sexual activity - inhibiting sexual activity in males and facilitating sexual activity in females - similar to what we see when we activate the 2A receptor. Cannabis works in the brain by acting on a single receptor - the CB1 receptor. There are naturally occurring substances in the brain called endocannabinoids which act on this CB1 receptor. Although there is increasing research on the endocannabinoids, we still know very little about how these naturally occurring brain chemicals work in the brain to control behaviour.  We have found that the endocannabinoid CB1 receptor and the 2A receptor are closely linked - altering one directly affects the other. We also know that both endocannabinoids and serotonin are closely linked to the physiological changes that occur during times of stress.  The purpose of this research is to understand the role of the endocannabinoids in reproductive behaviour. Questions to be answered from this research include: What are the effects of endocannabinoids on reproductive behaviour? Are they opposite in males and females? Are the effects on sexual activity dependent on activation of the 2A receptor? Do stress or stress hormones control the behavioural reproductive responses to endocannabinoids? It is important that we understand how the endocannabinoid system influences reproductive behaviour as there is much interest in using medications that act on this system to treat a variety of conditions such as depression, obesity and smoking.