PET Molecular Imaging of the Endocannabinoid System in Psychiatric Disorders
Chunyi Cui1,2,3,4,5 · Xiaofeng Dou2,3,4 · Peili Cen2,3,4 · Chentao Jin1,2,3,4,5 · Jing Wang1,2,3,4 · Jiaqi Niu2,3,4 · Chenxi Xue2,3,4 · Mei Tian6 · Hong Zhang1,2,3,4,7,8 · Yan Zhong1,2,3,4,8
1 Department of Nuclear Medicine, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou Institute of Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310014, China
2 Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, China
3 Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310009, China
4 Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Imaging of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310009, China
5 Department of Radiology, College of Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310003, China
6 Human Phenome Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
7 College of Biomedical Engineering & Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310014, China
8 Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of the Ministry of Education, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310014, China
Abstract
Psychiatric disorders have emerged as significant contributors to the global burden of disease in recent decades. The endocannabinoid system (ECS) influences a range of physiological and pathophysiological processes, including nociception, cognition, appetite, memory, and behavior, serving as a crucial mediator in psychiatric disorders. Imaging the ECS provides valuable insights into the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying psychiatric disorders and enhances clinical management strategies. As an advanced noninvasive molecular imaging modality, positron emission tomography (PET) enables the in vivo exploration of biological processes at the cellular and molecular levels. Recent advancements have led to the development of numerous PET tracers that target various components of the ECS, offering opportunities to visualize, characterize, and quantify ECS activity in psychiatric disorders in vivo. In this review, we summarize the existing PET tracers for ECS imaging and discuss their applications in diverse psychiatric conditions, including cannabis use disorder, alcohol use disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, and eating disorders.
Keywords
Positron emission tomography (PET); Psychiatric disorders; Cannabinoid receptors; Fatty acid amide hydrolase; Monoacylglycerol lipase
