More work is necessary to determine whether chronic anxiolytic, antidepressant, antipsychotic, or glucocorticoid receptor antagonist (e.g., RU-486) treatments prevent the effects of post-weaning social isolation in rodents on the endocannabinoid system. To our knowledge, in otherwise naïve rodents, effects of chronic RU-486 treatment on the endocannabinoid system are unknown and effects of chronic anxiolytic, antidepressant and antipsychotic treatments are yet to be fully characterized. Chronic treatment with anxiolytics and antidepressants (Hill et al., 2006, Hesketh et al., 2008, Hill et al., 2008) and subchronic and chronic administration of antipsychotics (Andersson et al., 2005, Sundram et al., 2005, Wiley et al., 2008, Secher et al., 2009) all alter the endocannabinoid system. Thus, the therapeutic efficacy of these pharmacological agents may result, at least in part, from actions on the endocannabinoid system. Although chronic anxiolytics, antidepressants, antipsychotics, and even handling share some similar treatment outcomes and alter the endocannabinoid system, the underlying effects of these treatments on the endocannabinoid system are likely distinct.
