Imaging of central cannabinoid CB1 receptors, a potential target for therapeutic agents in movement disorders

For several movement disorders a relevance of the cannabinoid system – in the pathophysiology and as a potential target of treatment – has been suggested. With respect to Huntington's disease, the early loss of CB1 receptors has been related to the hyperkinesias, which are typical for the earliest phases of disease – and cannabinoids have been shown to protect cells against huntingtin-induced cell death. In Parkinson's disease, it has been suggested, that compounds affecting the CB1 receptor alleviate levodopa induced dyskinesia via a modulation of GABAergic transmission in the basal ganglia. Furthermore, antidy…