From Synapse to Substance Use: Endocannabinoids and Cannabinoid Receptors in Brain Plasticity and Addiction Circuits
A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Neurobiology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2026 | Viewed by 35
Special Issue Editor
2. Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
Interests: fetal alcohol spectrum disorders; teratogens; psychiatry; synaptic plasticity; endocannabinoids; epigenetics; neurodegeneration; alcohol abuse; brain development
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Endocannabinoids are a class of endogenous lipid-based neurotransmitters that have emerged as key regulators of brain function, particularly in the modulation of synaptic plasticity, reward processing, and addiction. Acting primarily through cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2, endocannabinoids are synthesized on demand in response to neuronal activity and exert retrograde control over neurotransmitter release, thus finely tuning synaptic strength and plasticity. In the context of synaptic plasticity, endocannabinoids modulate both long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD), critical cellular processes underlying learning and memory. These effects are particularly prominent in brain regions such as the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, amygdala, and striatum, where they contribute to experience-dependent changes in neural circuitry.
Within the brain’s reward system—especially the mesolimbic dopamine pathway—endocannabinoids play a pivotal role in shaping motivational states, reinforcing behaviors, and encoding the salience of rewarding stimuli. They influence dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens and interact with other neuromodulators such as opioids and glutamate to affect reward-seeking behaviors. Crucially, growing evidence implicates dysregulated endocannabinoid signaling in the neurobiology of addiction. Drugs of abuse, including cannabinoids, opioids, stimulants, and alcohol, can hijack endocannabinoid signaling pathways to alter synaptic plasticity in a manner that promotes compulsive drug use, tolerance, and relapse. These maladaptive changes involve persistent alterations in excitatory–inhibitory balance, impaired executive control, and heightened cue-induced craving. Understanding the precise mechanisms by which endocannabinoids and cannabinoid receptors regulate synaptic function and contribute to developmental deficits and addiction vulnerability offers exciting opportunities for therapeutic intervention. Targeting components of the endocannabinoid systems, such as enzymes involved in their synthesis and degradation or receptor-specific modulators, may provide novel strategies for treating substance use disorders and other neuropsychiatric conditions associated with dysfunctional reward processing.
This Special Issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences aims to showcase a collection of cutting-edge studies highlighting recent advances in addiction-related disorders, including research on fetal alcohol and other developmental disorders. We invite the submission of high-quality original research articles, comprehensive reviews, and meta-analyses of large-scale datasets that contribute to a deeper understanding of the etiology and pathogenic mechanisms underlying these conditions, particularly those involving the endocannabinoid system. Relevant topics include, but are not limited to, research in epidemiology, neuropsychology, neurobehavior, neuropharmacology, epigenetics, genetics and genomics, brain imaging, molecular neurobiology, experimental models, and clinical investigations. The primary publication formats for this Special Issue will be full-length original research articles and review articles. However, we will also consider shorter formats such as brief reports, short notes, communications, and commentaries, provided they offer novel insights and are well-aligned with the scope of this Special Issue.
Dr. Balapal S. Basavarajappa
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- anandamide
- cannabis
- alcohol
- drug abuse
- plasticity
- neurotransmitters
- cell-types
- reward system
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
