The Endocannabinoidome

Expanding the Approach to Treating Traumatic Brain Injury Using the Endocannabinoid System

Abstract

This paper explores the potential use of endocannabinoidome molecules as a therapeutic approach to treating traumatic brain injury (TBI). Google Scholar was used to obtain the primary research literature analyzed for this review. Studies which manipulate the endocannabinoid system through methods such as administration of 2-AG or AEA ligands, inhibiting breakdown enzymes, and using CB₁ and CB₂ agonists or antagonists have shown promising results in treating TBI; however, no pragmatic clinical therapy has been found so far. The discovery of similar molecules and receptors has resulted in the expansion of the endogenous system and bred the term endocannabinoidome, which incorporates the newly discovered molecules and receptors. Ligands of the endocannabinoidome produce similar therapeutic benefits for TBI but act by different receptor pathways, which may allow one to overcome current existing problems of manipulating the endocannabinoid system for TBI treatment. Currently, therapies used to treat TBI have many unwanted side effects, establishing the need for alternative research options. This paper examines three of these endocannabinoidome molecules that have been previously researched for treating TBI and illuminates their specific receptor pathways and how these receptor pathways operate differently from the ordinary pathways of the endocannabinoid system. Gaining an understanding of the receptor pathways used by endocannabinoidome molecules will open a new field of research for therapeutics to treat TBI.