The Biochemistry of the Endocannabinoid System & ADHD - Journal Club April 2026
For our April 2026 Journal Club, we’ll be discussing a newly published narrative review that takes a hard biochemical look at the endocannabinoid system (ECS) in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Time: Tuesday, April 7th, 2026 Noon EST
Location – Virtual Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83722922366?pwd=QjZ3V0xNWHZ0OVZ0b3BpbWd3STRqUT09
Link to Paper:
Biochemical Role of the Endocannabinoid System in the Pathophysiology of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Narrative Review and Future Directions. Published in Neurochemical Research (2026) by Rarakadas and colleagues.
Why this paper?
ADHD research has long centered on dopamine, but this review pulls together preclinical and limited clinical evidencesuggesting that ECS signaling—particularly CB₁, CB₂, anandamide, FAAH, and MAGL—may play a meaningful modulatory role in attention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity.
Key themes we’ll explore:
How ECS signaling interacts with dopaminergic, GABAergic, and glutamatergic circuits
Evidence from animal models linking ECS modulation to hyperactivity and impulsivity
What the very limited human data actually show (and don’t show)
Why ECS dysregulation may be context-dependent, developmental, and circuit-specific
Implications—and cautions—for ECS-targeted therapeutics in ADHD
This is not a “cannabis treats ADHD” paper. It’s a mechanistic, biochemical synthesis that raises important questions about neuromodulation, development, and translational gaps—making it ideal for critical discussion.
Speakers:
Phil Molloy, MD – Clinical education expert
Teresa Simon, MPH – Public health epidemiologist
Len Kamen, MD – Clinical pain specialist
Jahan Marcu, PhD – Cannabis researcher
Questions? Email Prctrials.info@gmail.com
This journal club event is supported by PRC+. PRC + has education modules and other resources available for health care professionals: https://www.prc-trials-plus.com/education