Grant: Operating Grant

Anxiety disorders are the most prevalent mental illness afflicting Canadians, with the one year prevalence of anxiety disorders at 12% and estimates that approximately one in four Canadians will suffer an anxiety disorder at some point in their life. Anxiety disorders often manifest with common symptoms (hypervigilance, risk assessment and inappropriate fear behaviors), however they can develop either in response to stress (state anxiety) or occur as a biologically inborn tendency (trait anxiety). My body of research to date has illustrated the role of the endocannabinoid system, which is the brains endogenous version of cannabis (akin to how endorphins are the brains self made version of opiates), in regulating emotional behavior and responses to stress. The aim of the current research is to extend our current knowledge of endocannabinoids and anxiety by determining the role this system plays in both state and trait anxiety through a combined research approach incorporating behavioral analysis, biochemistry and drug interventions. Furthermore, this current research avenue will also aim to understand the neural mechanisms that regulate endocannabinoid signaling and thus contribute to the disturbance in this system that can manifest as anxiety. Ultimately, this research will help to elucidate the role of the endocannabinoid system in anxiety and if targeting this system for the development of novel anti-anxiety drugs is a fruitful avenue of research to pursue.