Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Romain Bourdy, Katia Befort
Summary: Eating disorders, specifically binge eating disorder (BED), involve maladaptive feeding behaviors characterized by recurrent episodes of eating large amounts of food with a loss of control. The endocannabinoid system, which regulates food intake, plays a major role in feeding behaviors and the development of addictive-like eating behaviors. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the neurobiology of BED and highlights the specific role of the endocannabinoid system. Further research is needed to develop targeted treatment strategies for reducing BED symptoms.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Psychiatry
Isabel Baenas, Romina Miranda-Olivos, Roser Granero, Neus Sole-Morata, Isabel Sanchez, Antoni Pastor, Amparo del Pino-Gutierrez, Ester Codina, Francisco J. Tinahones, Jose A. Fernandez-Formoso, Nuria Vilarrasa, Fernando Guerrero-Perez, Rafael Lopez-Urdiales, Nuria Virgili, Carles Soriano-Mas, Susana Jimenez-Murcia, Rafael de la Torre, Fernando Fernandez-Aranda
Summary: This study analyzed the aberrant functioning of the endocannabinoid system and its correlation with clinical variables and BMI in individuals with extreme weight conditions (EWCs). The results suggest that there is an interaction between biological and clinical factors that contribute to vulnerability pathways in EWC and could contribute to personalized therapeutic approaches.
EUROPEAN PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Shruti S. Kinkel-Ram, William Grunewald, Shelby N. Ortiz, Joshua M. Magee, April R. Smith
Summary: The study found a bidirectional, longitudinal relationship between symptoms of eating disorders (ED) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), particularly in terms of cognitive symptoms. However, this longitudinal association was only present at certain time points.
JOURNAL OF AFFECTIVE DISORDERS
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Shruti S. Kinkel-Ram, William Grunewald, Shelby N. Ortiz, Joshua M. Magee, April R. Smith
Summary: This study revealed a bidirectional longitudinal relationship between eating disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorder, particularly in terms of cognitive symptoms.
JOURNAL OF AFFECTIVE DISORDERS
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Daniel Ho, Antonio Verdejo-Garcia
Summary: Compulsive eating is a common symptom of various conditions such as obesity, binge eating disorder and bulimia. Studies have found that the addictive properties of food are related to macronutrient composition and level of processing, neuroadaptations in reward and decision-making circuits overlap across different compulsive eating conditions, and physical and social environments can exacerbate compulsive eating through reward mechanisms and emotional interactions.
PROGRESS IN NEURO-PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY & BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY
(2021)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Stella Stabouli, Serap Erdine, Lagle Suurorg, Augustina Jankauskiene, Empar Lurbe
Summary: Obesity, eating disorders, and unhealthy dieting practices among children and adolescents are concerning health issues due to their high prevalence and negative impacts on physical and psychosocial health. Research suggests that both obesity and eating disorders in pediatric populations can be managed or prevented with similar interventions, focusing on weight management and lifestyle changes. Various mechanisms and approaches exist to reduce the consequences of these conditions, with drug therapy and bariatric surgery reserved for extreme cases. Collaborative efforts across disciplines are essential for addressing health disparities and improving public health.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Rui Du, Xiao-Yan Tang, Cheng Yang, Wen-Hong Gao, Shun-Ji Gao, Hui-Juan Xiang, Li Yang
Summary: This study aimed to assess the association between marijuana use and liver steatosis and fibrosis in the general US population. The results showed that past and current marijuana users had a lower prevalence of liver steatosis compared to never users. However, there was no significant association between marijuana use and liver fibrosis.
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Alessandro Alberto Rossi, Stefania Mannarini, Gianluca Castelnuovo, Giada Pietrabissa
Summary: The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties and factorial structure of the Addiction-like Eating Behaviors Scale (AEBS) in an Italian sample, and to assess its measurement invariance across clinical and nonclinical populations. The results indicated that the AEBS-IT is a valid and reliable measure of addictive-like eating behaviors.
Review
Behavioral Sciences
Marilia Consolini Teodoro, Eva M. Conceicao, Marta de Lourdes, Jessika Rodrigues Alves, Carmem Beatriz Neufeld
Summary: The term grazing refers to repetitive and nonplanned consumption of small amounts of food unrelated to feelings of hunger/satiety. Research findings on grazing-like behaviors are inconsistent and controversial, while studies on grazing behaviors show more consistent results. Standardized definitions and evaluations for grazing behaviors are necessary for future research.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Irina A. Vanzhula, Shruti S. Kinkel-Ram, Cheri A. Levinson
Summary: The study found that difficulty controlling thoughts acts as a bridge between ED and OCD symptoms, with perfectionism playing a significant role in the ED-OCD-Perfectionism comorbidity network. Additionally, specific and distinct pathways were identified between OCD and two types of ED pathology.
JOURNAL OF AFFECTIVE DISORDERS
(2021)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Maria Pontillo, Valeria Zanna, Francesco Demaria, Roberto Averna, Cristina Di Vincenzo, Margherita De Biase, Michelangelo Di Luzio, Benedetta Foti, Maria Cristina Tata, Stefano Vicari
Summary: Research on Orthorexia nervosa (ON) is divided, with some studies suggesting it may fit the full-syndrome DSM-5 ED, while others propose that ON and DSM-5 EDs may co-occur. Only a few studies have suggested a relationship between ON and OCD. Currently, the clinical significance of ON and its relationship with EDs and OCD remains complicated and unclear, indicating a need for future research on the possible clinical course of ON.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Alessandro Alberto Rossi, Giada Pietrabissa, Ashley N. Gearhardt, Alessandro Musetti, Gianluca Castelnuovo, Stefania Mannarini
Summary: This study aimed to validate and investigate the psychometric properties of the Italian version of the Measure of Eating Compulsivity-10 (MEC10-IT) in a sample of inpatients with severe obesity (Study 1), and to test the measurement invariance of the measure across non-clinical and clinical samples (Study 2). The MEC10-IT was found to have a confirmed factorial structure among Italian adult inpatients with severe obesity and demonstrated to be invariant between clinical and community samples, showing good psychometric properties and screening abilities for classifying individuals with problematic eating behaviors.
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Marie-Pierre Tavolacci, Joel Ladner, Pierre Dechelotte
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to increased obesity rates among university students, with significant rises in eating disorder prevalence for both women and men over the past decade. Various types of eating disorders have also shown a significant increase, emphasizing the urgent need for early screening and intervention in this population of students.
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Lucero Munguia, Ignacio Lucas, Susana Jimenez-Murcia, Bernat Mora-Maltas, Roser Granero, Romina Miranda-Olivos, Isabel Sanchez, Guilia Testa, Maria Lozano-Madrid, Robert Turton, Jose M. Menchon, Fernando Fernandez-Aranda
Summary: The study aimed to explore a specific subtype among bulimic spectrum disorders patients with comorbid compulsive buying, and investigated the influence of different clinical features on treatment outcome. The results showed that patients with BSD+CB exhibited more severe clinical features, worse treatment outcomes, and higher neuropsychological impairment compared to other groups. Deficits in decision making were associated with bad treatment outcome, while deficits in flexibility were associated with the presence of the comorbidity. Self-directedness and novelty seeking were also linked to neuropsychological performance and the comorbidity.
EUROPEAN EATING DISORDERS REVIEW
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Adi Eitan, Ofer Gover, Liron Sulimani, David Meiri, Betty Schwartz
Summary: Prolonged oral administration of THC can attenuate weight gain, improve glucose tolerance, improve steatosis markers, and decrease hypertrophic cells. Prolonged oral administration of CBD can improve glucose tolerance, increase markers of lipid metabolism, but has no effect on weight gain and steatosis markers.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Antonio Inserra, Giada Giorgini, Sebastien Lacroix, Antonella Bertazzo, Jocelyn Choo, Athanasios Markopolous, Emily Grant, Armita Abolghasemi, Danilo De Gregorio, Nicolas Flamand, Geraint Rogers, Stefano Comai, Cristoforo Silvestri, Gabriella Gobbi, Vincenzo Di Marzo
Summary: This study found that repeated administration of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) induces prosocial effects in mice and affects the composition of the hippocampal endocannabinoidome and gut microbiota.
BRITISH JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Ester Pagano, Barbara Romano, Donatella Cicia, Fabio A. Iannotti, Tommaso Venneri, Giuseppe Lucariello, Maria Francesca Nani, Fabio Cattaneo, Paola De Cicco, Maria D'Armiento, Marcello De Luca, Ruggiero Lionetti, Stefania Lama, Paola Stiuso, Pietro Zoppoli, Geppino Falco, Silvia Marchiano, Stefano Fiorucci, Raffaele Capasso, Vincenzo Di Marzo, Francesca Borrelli, Angelo A. Izzo
Summary: TRPM8 is overexpressed in colorectal cancer and its high expression is associated with lower survival rate of patients and hyperactivation of related signaling pathways. TRPM8 may serve as a prognostic marker and potential drug target for colorectal cancer.
BRITISH JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Hilal Kalkan, Ester Pagano, Debora Paris, Elisabetta Panza, Mariarosaria Cuozzo, Claudia Moriello, Fabiana Piscitelli, Armita Abolghasemi, Elisabetta Gazzerro, Cristoforo Silvestri, Raffaele Capasso, Andrea Motta, Roberto Russo, Vincenzo Di Marzo, Fabio Arturo Iannotti
Summary: This study found that there are changes in the gut microbiota composition, short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) levels, and related metabolites in the mdx mouse model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) compared to healthy controls. Supplementation with sodium butyrate (NaB) in mdx mice showed similar benefits as deflazacort (DFZ) in terms of muscle strength, autophagy, and inflammation. In LPS-stimulated C2C12 myoblasts, NaB reduced inflammation, promoted autophagy, and prevented dysregulation of microRNAs targeting the endocannabinoid CB1 receptor gene through the activation of GPR109A and PPAR gamma receptors. This suggests a potential disease-modifying approach for DMD and other muscular dystrophies.
EMBO MOLECULAR MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Francesco Suriano, Claudia Manca, Nicolas Flamand, Matthias Van Hul, Nathalie M. Delzenne, Cristoforo Silvestri, Patrice D. Cani, Vincenzo Di Marzo
Summary: This study characterized the profile of endocannabinoidome and oxylipins in the intestines of obese and diabetic mice, and found correlations between these mediators and intestinal inflammation and gut microbiota composition. The results suggest that the altered eCBome and oxylipin signaling may contribute to obesity and diabetes-induced gut dysbiosis and inflammation.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Aniello Schiano Moriello, Fiorentina Roviezzo, Fabio Arturo Iannotti, Giuseppina Rea, Marco Allara, Rosa Camerlingo, Roberta Verde, Vincenzo Di Marzo, Stefania Petrosino
Summary: ARDS is a serious lung disorder caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection. This study evaluated the protective effects of PEA-um and its congener PEA-OXA in acute lung injury models. The results showed that both PEA-OXA and PEA can counteract the inflammatory response and EMT induced by poly-(I:C) or TGF-beta. PEA-OXA was found to be superior to PEA in exerting protective effects, making it a promising candidate in the management of acute lung injury.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Joao Maia, Fabio Arturo Iannotti, Fabiana Piscitelli, Bruno Miguel Fonseca, Antonio Braga, Jorge Braga, Natercia Teixeira, Vincenzo Di Marzo, Georgina Correia-da-Silva
Summary: Preeclampsia (PE) is a disease with a long history, but there are still a lack of biomarkers to determine its severity and type. The importance of the expanded endocannabinoid system (eCBome) has recently emerged in placental physiology and pathology, but its potential alterations in PE have not been fully explored. This study for the first time demonstrates the presence of certain eCBome members in both normotensive and PE placental tissues and suggests their potential role as biomarkers of PE.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Martina Di Bartolomeo, Tibor Stark, Serena Di Martino, Fabio Arturo Iannotti, Jana Ruda-Kucerova, Giovanni Luca Romano, Martin Kuchar, Samuele Laudani, Petr Palivec, Fabiana Piscitelli, Carsten T. Wotjak, Claudio Bucolo, Filippo Drago, Vincenzo Di Marzo, Claudio D'Addario, Vincenzo Micale
Summary: Adolescent exposure to cannabinoids, such as THC, may increase the risk of psychosis in individuals exposed to perinatal insult. In this study, the researchers examined the effects of peripubertal THC exposure on rats that were also exposed to prenatal methylazoxymethanol acetate (MAM) or perinatal THC (pTHC). They found that the rats exposed to MAM or pTHC exhibited adult phenotypes relevant to schizophrenia, including social withdrawal and cognitive impairment. The researchers also observed changes in gene expression and DNA methylation, suggesting potential molecular mechanisms underlying these effects.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Yolanda Paes-Colli, Priscila M. P. Trindade, Louise C. Vitorino, Fabiana Piscitelli, Fabio Arturo Iannotti, Raquel M. P. Campos, Alinny R. Isaac, Andrey Fabiano Lourenco de Aguiar, Silvana Allodi, Fernando G. de Mello, Marcelo Einicker-Lamas, Raphael de Siqueira-Santos, Vincenzo Di Marzo, Bakhos A. Tannous, Litia A. Carvalho, Ricardo De Melo A. Reis, Luzia S. Sampaio
Summary: This study investigated the expression of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) in olfactory ensheathing glia (OEG) and its role in regulating the differentiation of oligodendrocytes in hippocampal mixed cell cultures. The results showed that OEG expresses key genes of the ECS and the conditioned medium of OEG cultures contains endocannabinoids such as anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG). Additionally, the addition of OEG conditioned medium enhanced the complexity of oligodendrocyte process branching, which was inhibited by a CB1 receptor antagonist.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Hilal Kalkan, Elisabetta Panza, Ester Pagano, Giuseppe Ercolano, Claudia Moriello, Fabiana Piscitelli, Monika Sztretye, Raffaele Capasso, Vincenzo Di Marzo, Fabio Arturo Iannotti
Summary: In this study, the researchers investigated the role of the endocannabinoid system in simvastatin-induced muscle toxicity. They found that the expression of endocannabinoids and specific miRNAs targeting the endocannabinoid CB1 gene increased in myoblasts exposed to simvastatin. Moreover, they discovered that the dysregulation of the CB1 receptor and its downstream signaling pathways contributed to statin-induced myopathy.
CELL DEATH & DISEASE
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Thomas Deschenes, Fred Wilfried Elom Tohoundjona, Pier-Luc Plante, Vincenzo Di Marzo, Frederic Raymond
Summary: This study compared the performance of machine learning approaches according to different types of data representations derived from shotgun metagenomics. Gene-based approaches provided similar or improved classification performances compared to taxonomic and functional profiles. Feature selection based on biological function also improved classification performance for some pathologies. This study proposes new approaches to represent microbiome data for machine learning.
Article
Biology
Nicola Forte, Charlene Roussel, Brenda Marfella, Anna Lauritano, Rosaria Villano, Elvira De Leonibus, Emanuela Salviati, Tina Khalilzadehsabet, Giada Giorgini, Cristoforo Silvestri, Fabiana Piscitelli, Maria Pina Mollica, Vincenzo Di Marzo, Luigia Cristino
Summary: N-oleoylglycine and N-oleoylalanine reduce the rewarding properties of palatable food, dopamine neuron firing, and the obesogenic effect of a high-fat diet by activating PPAR alpha. Olive oil-rich diets can also decrease weight gain by increasing oleoylglycine levels and enhancing gut microbial diversity.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Elena Serino, Fabio Arturo Iannotti, Hekmat B. Al-Hmadi, Diego Caprioglio, Claudia Moriello, Francesca Masi, Saoussen Hammami, Giovanni Appendino, Rosa Maria Vitale, Orazio Taglialatela-Scafati
Summary: An LC-MS/MS-guided analysis of Glycyrrhiza foetida led to the identification of new phenethyl- and alkyl-type phytocannabinoids. The compounds were tested for their agonist activity on PPAR alpha and PPAR gamma, with promising results. The study also provided insights into the structure-activity relationships of these compounds through molecular docking and dynamics simulations.
JOURNAL OF NATURAL PRODUCTS
(2023)
Meeting Abstract
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Mariarosaria Bucci, Elisabetta Panza, Valentina Vellecco, Fabio Arturo Iannotti, Deborah Paris, Onorina Laura Manzo, Martina Smimmo, Annarita Di Lorenzo, Giuseppe Cirino
BRITISH JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Meeting Abstract
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Donatella Cicia, Francesca Biscu, Nunzia Iaccarino, Giuseppe Lucariello, Maria Francesca Nani, Fabio Arturo Iannotti, Antonio Randazzo, Raffaele Capasso, Gianluca Matteoli, Angelo Antonio Izzo, Ester Pagano
BRITISH JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Tangui Barre, Vincenzo Di Marzo, Fabienne Marcellin, Patrizia Burra, Patrizia Carrieri
Summary: Obesity and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are global epidemics. The endocannabinoid system is seen as a key target for treating NAFLD. Although clinical trials are lacking, research suggests potential benefits of phytocannabinoids in treating liver steatosis. Cannabis plant should be considered a major prospect for NAFLD treatment. Overcoming scientific and non-scientific barriers is necessary for further research.
CANNABIS AND CANNABINOID RESEARCH
(2023)