Autism and Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Program, Psychiatry Research Institute at Montefiore- Einstein (PRIME), Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA.
New York University Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, New York, NY, USA.
J Psychiatr Res. 2021 May;137:194-201. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2021.02.048. Epub 2021 Feb 26.
Current treatments for autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are limited in efficacy and are often associated with substantial side effects. These medications typically ameliorate problem behaviors associated with ASD, but do not target core symptom domains. As a result, there is a significant amount of research underway for development of novel experimental therapeutics. Endocannabinoids are arachidonic acid-derived lipid neuromodulators, which, in combination with their receptors and associated metabolic enzymes, constitute the endocannabinoid (EC) system. Cannabinoid signaling may be involved in the social impairment and repetitive behaviors observed in those with ASD. In this review, we discuss a possible role of the EC system in excitatory-inhibitory (E-I) imbalance and immune dysregulation in ASD. Novel treatments for the core symptom domains of ASD are needed and phytocannabinoids could be useful experimental therapeutics for core symptoms and associated domains.
目前针对自闭症谱系障碍 (ASD) 的治疗方法疗效有限，且常伴有严重的副作用。这些药物通常可以改善与 ASD 相关的行为问题，但并不能针对核心症状领域。因此，目前正在进行大量的新型实验治疗药物的研究。内源性大麻素是花生四烯酸衍生的脂质神经调节剂，与它们的受体和相关代谢酶一起构成内源性大麻素 (EC) 系统。大麻素信号可能与 ASD 患者中观察到的社交障碍和重复行为有关。在这篇综述中，我们讨论了 EC 系统在 ASD 中的兴奋性-抑制性 (E-I) 失衡和免疫失调中的可能作用。需要针对 ASD 的核心症状领域的新治疗方法，植物大麻素可能是针对核心症状和相关领域的有用实验治疗方法。
