Genetic deletion of fatty acid amide hydrolase alters emotional behavior and serotonergic transmission in the dorsal raphe, prefrontal cortex, and hippocampus

Neuropsychopharmacology. 2010 Sep;35(10):2083-100. doi: 10.1038/npp.2010.80. Epub 2010 Jun 23.

Abstract

Pharmacological blockade of the anandamide-degrading enzyme, fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), produces CB(1) receptor (CB(1)R)-mediated analgesic, anxiolytic-like and antidepressant-like effects in murids. Using behavioral and electrophysiological approaches, we have characterized the emotional phenotype and serotonergic (5-HT) activity of mice lacking the FAAH gene in comparison to their wild type counterparts, and their response to a challenge of the CB(1)R antagonist, rimonabant. FAAH null-mutant (FAAH(-/-)) mice exhibited reduced immobility in the forced swim and tail suspension tests, predictive of antidepressant activity, which was attenuated by rimonabant. FAAH(-/-) mice showed an increase in the duration of open arm visits in the elevated plus maze, and a decrease in thigmotaxis and an increase in exploratory rearing displayed in the open field, indicating anxiolytic-like effects that were reversed by rimonabant. Rimonabant also prolonged the initiation of feeding in the novelty-suppressed feeding test. Electrophysiological recordings revealed a marked 34.68% increase in dorsal raphe 5-HT neural firing that was reversed by rimonabant in a subset of neurons exhibiting high firing rates (33.15% mean decrease). The response of the prefrontocortical pyramidal cells to the 5-HT(2A/2C) agonist (+/-)-1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-2-aminopropane ((+/-)-DOI) revealed desensitized 5-HT(2A/2C) receptors, likely linked to the observed anxiolytic-like behaviors. The hippocampal pyramidal response to the 5-HT(1A) antagonist, WAY-100635, indicates enhanced tonus on the hippocampal 5-HT(1A) heteroreceptors, a hallmark of antidepressant-like action. Together, these results suggest that FAAH genetic deletion enhances anxiolytic-like and antidepressant-like effects, paralleled by altered 5-HT transmission and postsynaptic 5-HT(1A) and 5-HT(2A/2C) receptor function.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Action Potentials / drug effects
  • Amidohydrolases / deficiency*
  • Animals
  • Behavior, Animal / drug effects
  • Benzamides / pharmacology
  • Brain / metabolism*
  • Brain / pathology*
  • Cannabinoid Receptor Antagonists
  • Carbamates / pharmacology
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Exploratory Behavior / drug effects
  • Hindlimb Suspension / methods
  • Hippocampus / metabolism
  • Male
  • Maze Learning / drug effects
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Mood Disorders / genetics*
  • Mood Disorders / pathology*
  • Piperidines / pharmacology
  • Prefrontal Cortex / metabolism
  • Pyrazoles / pharmacology
  • Raphe Nuclei / metabolism
  • Rimonabant
  • Serotonin / metabolism*
  • Serotonin Agents / pharmacology
  • Swimming / psychology

Substances

  • Benzamides
  • Cannabinoid Receptor Antagonists
  • Carbamates
  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Piperidines
  • Pyrazoles
  • Serotonin Agents
  • cyclohexyl carbamic acid 3'-carbamoylbiphenyl-3-yl ester
  • Serotonin
  • Amidohydrolases
  • fatty-acid amide hydrolase
  • Rimonabant