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Updated: Jul 17, 2026
02:26
Intracranial Pharmacotherapy and Pain Assays in Rodents
Published on: April 9, 2019
Endocannabinoid mechanisms of pain modulation
Andrea G Hohmann1, Richard L Suplita
1Neuroscience and Behavior Program, Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA. ahohmann@uga.edu
The AAPS Journal
|January 20, 2007
Summary
Endocannabinoids, like anandamide, play a crucial role in modulating pain perception. This review explores the biological evidence for their function in pain relief and stress-induced analgesia.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Cannabinoids demonstrate antinociceptive properties in various pain models.
- Endogenous cannabinoids (endocannabinoids) are increasingly recognized for their role in pain modulation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the biological basis of endocannabinoids.
- To examine evidence supporting the role of cannabinoids in pain modulation.
- To evaluate the function of endocannabinoids in stress-induced analgesia.
Main Methods:
- Behavioral pharmacological approaches.
- Identification and quantification of endocannabinoids using chromatography-mass spectrometry.
- Examination of cannabinoid receptor and enzyme distribution in pain pathways.
Main Results:
- Endocannabinoid signaling is implicated in pain modulation.
- Specific endocannabinoids, anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol, are key players.
- Evidence supports their role in stress-induced analgesia.
Conclusions:
- Endocannabinoids are integral to the body's natural pain control system.
- Understanding endocannabinoid signaling provides a framework for supraspinal pain processing.
- This review synthesizes current knowledge on endocannabinoids and pain modulation.
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