AUTHOR=Sagheddu Claudia , Torres Larissa Helena , Marcourakis Tania , Pistis Marco TITLE=Endocannabinoid-Like Lipid Neuromodulators in the Regulation of Dopamine Signaling: Relevance for Drug Addiction JOURNAL=Frontiers in Synaptic Neuroscience VOLUME=12 YEAR=2020 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/synaptic-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnsyn.2020.588660 DOI=10.3389/fnsyn.2020.588660 ISSN=1663-3563 ABSTRACT=

The family of lipid neuromodulators has been rapidly growing, as the use of different -omics techniques led to the discovery of a large number of naturally occurring N-acylethanolamines (NAEs) and N-acyl amino acids belonging to the complex lipid signaling system termed endocannabinoidome. These molecules exert a variety of biological activities in the central nervous system, as they modulate physiological processes in neurons and glial cells and are involved in the pathophysiology of neurological and psychiatric disorders. Their effects on dopamine cells have attracted attention, as dysfunctions of dopamine systems characterize a range of psychiatric disorders, i.e., schizophrenia and substance use disorders (SUD). While canonical endocannabinoids are known to regulate excitatory and inhibitory synaptic inputs impinging on dopamine cells and modulate several dopamine-mediated behaviors, such as reward and addiction, the effects of other lipid neuromodulators are far less clear. Here, we review the emerging role of endocannabinoid-like neuromodulators in dopamine signaling, with a focus on non-cannabinoid N-acylethanolamines and their receptors. Mounting evidence suggests that these neuromodulators contribute to modulate synaptic transmission in dopamine regions and might represent a target for novel medications in alcohol and nicotine use disorder.