Interplay between endocannabinoid and endovanilloid mechanisms in fear conditioning.

Abstract

Objective: The transient receptor potential cation channel, subfamily V (vanilloid), member 1 (TRPV1) mediates pain perception to thermal and chemical stimuli in peripheral neurons. The cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB₁), on the other hand, promotes analgesia in both the periphery and the brain. TRPV1 and CB₁ have also been implicated in learned fear, which involves the association of a previously neutral stimulus with an aversive event. In this review, we elaborate on the interplay between CB₁ receptors and TRPV1 channels in learned fear processing.

Methods: We conducted a PubMed search for a narrative review on endocannabinoid and endovanilloid mechanisms on fear conditioning.

Results: TRPV1 and CB₁ receptors are activated by a common endogenous agonist, arachidonoyl ethanolamide (anandamide), Moreover, they are expressed in common neuroanatomical structures and recruit converging cellular pathways, acting in concert to modulate fear learning. However, evidence suggests that TRPV1 exerts a facilitatory role, whereas CB₁ restrains fear responses.

Conclusion: TRPV1 and CB₁ seem to mediate protective and aversive roles of anandamide, respectively. However, more research is needed to achieve a better understanding of how these receptors interact to modulate fear learning.