Summary
The effects of cannabinoids are diverse and dose dependent. For instance, low doses produce anxiolysis whereas high doses induce anxiety; similar effects have been seen on memory and cognition. However, the reasons for this are not clear. At the synapse level, the cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1R) is known to impact transmitter release through inhibition of presynaptic calcium channels, including the N-type (CaV2.2) channels that are paramount in coupling neuronal activity to transmitter release in the hippocampus (HPC). This brain area is important for emotional processing and learning, and CaV2.