Genetics & Molecular Medicine
David A Dawson and Clare P Persad
Dysfunction of the dopamine system has been proposed to explain clinical manifestations of ADHD. ADHD patients have been demonstrated to lack appropriate dopamine levels. The neurotransmitter dopamine is commonly associated with the brain’s pleasure system, providing a feeling of enjoyment and motivation to perform specific tasks. The endocannabinoid system has been implicated in various dopamine-deficiency-related disorders, including ADHD. A complex interaction between the endocannabinoid system and dopamine production has been experimentally demonstrated. The endocannabinoid primarily responsible for the release of dopamine is anandamide and increasing the concentrations of this molecule has demonstrated therapeutic value in treating ADHD. In this review article, synthetic and natural exogenous and endogenous methods for increasing anandamide concentrations are described.
Molecular Biology : Open Access
David A Dawson
This disquisition mainly focuses on Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) although the concepts discussed can be applied to nearly all strains of bacterial infections which have evolved defences to traditionalapproaches for treatment and containment. It begins with an overview of MRSA, including at-risk populations. Traditional approaches to preventing transmission of MRSA will be discussed, as well as why these approaches sometimes fail. A novel intervention protocol for treatment and containment of antibiotic-resistant infections will be proposed for both community and healthcare settings which is based on a multiple-faceted approach.
Molecular Biology
David A Dawson
This disquisition is designed to be an exploration of the controversies, contentions, and consternations with regard to the efficacy and potential of a newly devised CAM approach which entails modulating the endocannabinoid system and is considered to be a potentially useful technique for the treatment of obesity and diabetes. This paper is constructed to provide the reader with an understanding of the principles underlying a form of Complimentary Alternative Medicine(CAM) which has existed for millennia but has only recently attained credibility and acceptance within the scientific community. It provides a historical analysis of the perceived equivalency between synthetic cannabinoids and organic cannabinoids as well as the unknowns of each in their potential treatment of obesity and diabetes.
Psychosocial and Biological Aspects of Synthetic and Natural FAAH Inhibitors
David A Dawson
Molecular engineers are studying FAAH as a target for pharmaceuticals as controlling levels of FAAH may produce some of the same health effects that excite clinicians about the potential for phytocannabinoid-based medicines. Synthetic cannabinoids work by flooding the system with molecules structurally similar to THC and other phytocannabinoids. Medicines that inhibit the body’s production of FAAH are theorized to have a similar effect by maximizing the concentration of deficient endocannabinoids in the nervous system. Technological limitations coupled with a suppression of research of biologic cannabinoids at many major research universities have limited our understanding of the endocannabinoid system. Questions still need to be answered to provide a comprehensive comparison of biologic with synthetic FAAH inhibitors. Advancement and research aimed at understanding of endogenous and exogenous cannabinoids, and particularly the medicinal properties of the Trans-Δ⁹-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) molecule and its endocannabinoid equivalent anandamide are hindered by prohibitive restrictions resulting from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), National Institute of Health (NIH), and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). The mission statements of each of these entities effectively integrate to ensure research and utilization of the medicinal properties of THC will be nearly impossible to attain