N-arachidonoyl l-serine, an endocannabinoid-like brain constituent with vasodilatory properties

The endocannabinoid N-arachidonoyl ethanolamine (anandamide), found both in the CNS and in the periphery, plays a role in numerous physiological systems. One might expect that the chemically related N-arachidonoyl-l-serine (ARA-S) could also be formed alongside anandamide. We have now isolated ARA-S from bovine brain and elucidated its structure by comparison with synthetic ARA-S. Contrary to anandamide, ARA-S binds very weakly to cannabinoid CB(1) and CB(2) or vanilloid TRPV1 (transient receptor potential vanilloid 1) receptors. However, it produces endothelium-dependent vasodilation of rat isolated mesenteric arteries and abdominal aorta and stimulates phosphorylation of p44/42 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase and protein kinase B/Akt in cultured endothelial cells. ARA-S also suppresses LPS-induced formation of TNF-α in a murine macrophage cell line and in wild-type mice, as well as in mice deficient in CB(1) or CB(2) receptors. Many of these effects parallel those reported for abnormal cannabidiol (Abn-CBD), a synthetic agonist of a putative novel cannabinoid-type receptor. Hence, ARA-S may represent an endogenous agonist for this receptor

A National Neuro-Ophthalmology Consensus Statement on the Terminology for Automated Visual Field Abnormalities

A multitude of terms have been used to describe automated visual field abnormalities. To date, there is no universally accepted system of definitions. Variability among clinicians creates the risk of miscommunication and the compromise of patient care. The purposes of this study were to 1) assess the degree of consistency among the nation's neuro-ophthalmologists in the description of visual field abnormalities, and 2) to create a national consensus statement with standardized terminology and definition