AUTHOR=Aso Ester , Ferrer Isidro 

TITLE=CB2 Cannabinoid Receptor As Potential Target against Alzheimer's Disease

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Neuroscience

VOLUME=10

YEAR=2016

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnins.2016.00243

DOI=10.3389/fnins.2016.00243

ISSN=1662-453X

ABSTRACT=<p>The CB<sub>2</sub> receptor is one of the components of the endogenous cannabinoid system, a complex network of signaling molecules and receptors involved in the homeostatic control of several physiological functions. Accumulated evidence suggests a role for CB<sub>2</sub> receptors in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and indicates their potential as a therapeutic target against this neurodegenerative disease. Levels of CB<sub>2</sub> receptors are significantly increased in <italic>post-mortem</italic> AD brains, mainly in microglia surrounding senile plaques, and their expression levels correlate with the amounts of Aβ<sub>42</sub> and β-amyloid plaque deposition. Moreover, several studies on animal models of AD have demonstrated that specific CB<sub>2</sub> receptor agonists, which are devoid of psychoactive effects, reduce AD-like pathology, resulting in attenuation of the inflammation associated with the disease but also modulating Aβ and tau aberrant processing, among other effects. CB<sub>2</sub> receptor activation also improves cognitive impairment in animal models of AD. This review discusses available data regarding the role of CB<sub>2</sub> receptors in AD and the potential usefulness of specific agonists of these receptors against AD.</p>