Anandamide brain distribution

Both anandamide and 2-AG are inactivated by enzymatic hydrolysis (Goparaju et al. 1998). Fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) is an enzyme that catalyses their hydrolysis. High concentrations of FAAH were found in the cerebellum, hippocampus and neocortex of rat brain, which are also rich in cannabinoid receptors. Further, there is a complementary pattern of distribution of FAAH and the CBl receptor. For example, in the cerebellum, FAAH is found in the cell bodies of Purkinje cells and the CBl receptor is found in the axons of granule cells and basket cells, which are presynaptic to Purkinje cells. 2-AG may also be inactivated by direct esterification into membrane phospholipids. Cannabinoid Receptors... 

Characterization of the kinetics and distribution of N-arachidony-lethanolamine (anandamide) hydrolysis by rat brain. Biochem Biophy Acta 1257 249-256, 1995. 

Hillard, C.J., Wilkison, D.M., Edgemond, W.S., and Campbell, W.B. (1995) Characterization of the kinetics and distribution of iV-arachidonylethanolamine (anandamide) hydrolysis by rat brain, Biochimica et Biophysica Acta 1257 249-256. 

Watanabe, K., Ogi, H., Nakamura, S., Kayano, Y, Matsunaga, T., Yoshimura, H., and Yamamoto, 1. (1998) Distribution and characterization of anandamide amidohydrolase in mouse brain and liver. Life... 

Amidohydrolase activity is concentrated in liver and brain tissues and, within the brain, in regions rich in cannabinoid receptors (e.g., globus pallidus and hippocampus) (Fig. 6.13). The parallel distribution of receptors and degradative enzyme in the central nervous system is particularly significant, as it supports a participation of anandamide amidohydrolase in the biological disposition of anandamide at its sites of action. 

Fig. 6.13. Distribution of anandamide amidohydrolase activity in various organs (A) and various brain regions (B) of the rat. (Reproduced with pernriission from Desarnaud F etal. I Biol Chem 1995 270 6030-6035.)...

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