Paranoid Thoughts in Adolescents with Social Anxiety Disorder.

Recently, social anxiety disorder (SAD) and paranoia have been demonstrated to be closely related. However, data were primarily drawn from adult community samples or patients with schizophrenia. The present study used a cross-sectional design to evaluate a sample of adolescents with SAD (n = 30, mean age 15.3 ± 0.9 years) compared with an age- and sex-matched group of healthy controls (n = 26, mean age 15.9 ± 1.6 years). The SAD group displayed more frequent and intense paranoid thoughts than the control group (t = 4.16, p < 0.001). The level of paranoid thoughts was significantly predicted by the degree of social phobia, even after adjusting for sex and other anxiety disorders, although adjusting for depression slightly reduced the extent and significance of the prediction. A lack of awareness about the association between SAD and paranoia may lead to incorrect diagnoses (e.g. misdiagnosis of psychotic disorders), or it may negatively influence the (psycho)therapeutic process and patient outcomes.

Total thyroidectomy in Basedow-Graves' disease treatment: our experience.

In the present study the authors, after a short historical description of the Basedow-Graves' disease, describe their case-study gathered over the last five years. They mention the most widely accepted hypothesis regarding disease's etiology, strongly linked to autoimmune disorders, and the role that some viral agents (Coksackie B and HTLV-II) may have in initiating autoantibody production and T cells activation in genetically predisposed individuals. Basic and clinical aspects of the diagnosis and disease treatment, highlighting the use of thyroidectomy, are addressed. They conclude that total thyroidectomy represents today the treatment of choice, which, after appropriate preparation to reach the euthyroidism condition, can ensure a successful cure.

A comparison of bipolar disorders in children in Italy and the United States.

BACKGROUND: The clinical presentation of bipolar disorders, though clearly recognized in adolescents, remains controversial in younger children and across cultures. The aim of this study was to compare the clinical presentation of bipolar disorders in Italian and American children between ages 5 and 12 years. METHODS: Sixty-seven children from six outpatient programs were enrolled (Italian sample: n=40; American sample: n=28) between January 2010 and June 2011. Children and their parents were interviewed by experienced clinicians using the Washington University in St. Louis Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children-Present, Lifetime Version (WASH-U K-SADS). RESULTS: Italian children scored significantly higher on ratings of "elevated mood" (p=0.002), whereas American children scored significantly higher on ratings of "flight of ideas" (p=0.001) and "productivity" (p=0.001). Rates of comorbidity were different between groups. LIMITATIONS: Data were acquired from several sites in Italy as compared to from a single American site. Medication and educational information were not systematically collected. Furthermore, the sample collected may only reflect characteristics of a less severely ill group of bipolar children. CONCLUSIONS: Our comparison of Italian and American children with early onset bipolar disorders found that the phenotype of bipolar spectrum disorders is largely shared across cultures, although psychiatric comorbidities differed.

Albedo and atmospheric constraints of dwarf planet Makemake from a stellar occultation.

Pluto and Eris are icy dwarf planets with nearly identical sizes, comparable densities and similar surface compositions as revealed by spectroscopic studies. Pluto possesses an atmosphere whereas Eris does not; the difference probably arises from their differing distances from the Sun, and explains their different albedos. Makemake is another icy dwarf planet with a spectrum similar to Eris and Pluto, and is currently at a distance to the Sun intermediate between the two. Although Makemake's size (1,420 ± 60 km) and albedo are roughly known, there has been no constraint on its density and there were expectations that it could have a Pluto-like atmosphere. Here we report the results from a stellar occultation by Makemake on 2011 April 23. Our preferred solution that fits the occultation chords corresponds to a body with projected axes of 1,430 ± 9 km (1σ) and 1,502 ± 45 km, implying a V-band geometric albedo p(V) = 0.77 ± 0.03. This albedo is larger than that of Pluto, but smaller than that of Eris. The disappearances and reappearances of the star were abrupt, showing that Makemake has no global Pluto-like atmosphere at an upper limit of 4-12 nanobar (1σ) for the surface pressure, although a localized atmosphere is possible. A density of 1.7 ± 0.3 g cm(-3) is inferred from the data.

[Iatrogenic lesions of the femoral vessels during hernia surgery]. / Lesioni iatrogene dei vasi femorali nella chirurgia dell'ernia.

The vascular lesions in hernia surgery are difficult to be found: on the basis of three cases personally treated and on literature data, the authors dwell upon the factors that influence the frequency of this event, they discuss about the therapeutic choices and they illustrate the short and long term prognosis.

[One-day surgery: results of 3,000 surgical procedures]. / One day-surgery: risultati di 3000 interventi chirurgici.

AIMS: To evaluate the advantages and limits of one day surgery operations performed between January 1990 and December 2000. METHODS: Pre-operative study of out patients with indications to surgical treatment with short-stay hospitalisation and research of criteria of feasibility of day-surgical program: a) morning hospitalisation; b) surgical intervention; c) post-operative control; d) night control; e) careful evaluation of admission 24 hour after operation and instruction for house-therapy; f) program of follow-up (7 and 14 days after operation). RESULTS: Mortality 0%; immediate post-operative complications 1.8%; post-operative sequelae (one year after surgery): 0.5%; high satisfaction gradient of patients one year after treatment: 89%. DISCUSSION: The Day-Surgery seems to be, after ten years of experience, available in high number of patients, with progressive extension of indications to ever more surgical fields and results very satisfactory, in term of cost-effectiveness too, with an high compliance of the patients to surgical program.

Changes in endocannabinoid transmission in the basal ganglia in a rat model of Huntington's disease.

Recent studies have demonstrated a loss of cannabinoid CB1 receptors in the basal ganglia in Huntington's disease (HD), but there are no data on endocannabinoid levels in this disease. In the present study, we have addressed this question by using rats with bilateral intrastriatal injections of 3-nitropropionic acid (3-NP), a toxin that, through the selective damage of striatal GABAergic efferent neurons, produces a useful model of HD. Twelve days after the lesion, 3-NP-lesioned rats exhibited motor disturbances, characterized by an ambulatory hyperactivity accompanied by a loss of guided activities. Analysis of GABA contents in the basal ganglia showed a trend towards a reduction compatible with motor hyperactivity. In addition, CB1 receptor binding and, to a greater extent, CB1 receptor activation of GTP-binding proteins, were also reduced in the basal ganglia. These changes were paralleled by a decrease of the contents of the two endocannabinoids, anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol, in the striatum, and by an increase, particularly of anandamide, in the ventral mesencephalon where the substantia nigra is located. Both CB1 receptors and endocannabinoid levels were not altered in the cerebral cortex, an area not affected by the lesion. In summary, behavioral and biochemical changes observed in rats intrastriatally lesioned with 3-NP were similar to those occurring in the brain of HD patients. As expected, a loss of CB1 receptor function was evident in the basal ganglia of these rats and this was accompanied by different changes in endocannabinoid levels.

Normal human pituitary gland and pituitary adenomas express cannabinoid receptor type 1 and synthesize endogenous cannabinoids: first evidence for a direct role of cannabinoids on hormone modulation at the human pituitary level.

Little is known about the expression and function of cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1) in the human pituitary gland. The aim of this study was to investigate CB1 expression in human normal and tumoral pituitaries by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry using an antibody against CB1. CB1 was found in corticotrophs, mammotrophs, somatotrophs, and folliculostellate cells in the anterior lobe of normal pituitary. After examination of 42 pituitary adenomas, CB1 was detected in acromegaly-associated pituitary adenomas, Cushing's adenomas, and prolactinomas, whereas faint or no expression was found in nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas. Experiments with cultured pituitary adenoma cells showed that the CB1 agonist WIN 55,212--2 inhibited GH secretion in most of acromegaly-associated pituitary adenomas tested and that the CB1 antagonist SR 141716A was generally able to reverse this effect. Moreover, WIN 55,212--2 was able to suppress GHRH-stimulated GH release, and this effect was not blocked by coincubation with SR 141716A, possibly indicating a non-CB1-mediated effect. In contrast, WIN 55,212--2 was ineffective on GH-releasing peptide-stimulated GH release. In four Cushing's adenomas tested, WIN 55,212--2 was not able to modify basal ACTH secretion. However, simultaneous application of CRF and WIN 55,212--2 resulted in a synergistic effect on ACTH secretion, and this effect could be abolished by SR 141716A, demonstrating a CB1-mediated effect. In the single case of prolactinomas tested, WIN 55,212--2 was able to inhibit basal secretion of PRL. Finally, the presence of endocannabinoids (anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol) was investigated in normal and tumoral pituitaries. All tumoral samples had higher contents of anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol compared with the normal hypophysis. Moreover, endocannabinoid content in the different pituitary adenomas correlated with the presence of CB1, being elevated in the tumoral samples positive for CB1 and lower in the samples in which no or low levels of CB1 were found. The results of this study point to a direct role of cannabinoids in the regulation of human pituitary hormone secretion.

Hypolocomotor effects in rats of capsaicin and two long chain capsaicin homologues.

Capsaicin and its analogue N-arachidonoyl-vanillyl-amine (arvanil) are agonists of vanilloid VR1 receptors, and suppress spontaneous activity in mice through an unknown mechanism. Here, we tested in rats the effect on motor behavior of: (1) capsaicin; (2) N-linoleoyl-vanillyl-amine (livanil) and N-alpha-linolenoyl-vanillyl-amine (linvanil), which, unlike arvanil, have very little affinity for cannabinoid CB1 receptors; and (3) the endocannabinoid anandamide (N-arachidonoyl-ethanolamine), which is a full agonist at both cannabinoid CB1 and vanilloid VR1 receptors. All compounds, administered i.p., dose-dependently (0.1-10 mg/kg) inhibited ambulation and stereotypic behavior and increased inactivity in the open field test. The rank of potency observed in vivo (livanil>capsaicin>linvanil>anandamide) bore little resemblance with the relative potencies in a functional assay for rat vanilloid VR1 receptors (livanil=linvanil>capsaicin>anandamide) and even less with the relative affinities in rat CB1 receptor binding assays (anandamide>livanil>linvanil>capsaicin). The vanilloid VR1 receptor antagonist capsazepine (10 mg/kg, i.p.) blocked the effect of capsaicin but not of livanil or anandamide, whereas the CB1 receptor antagonist (N-(piperidin-1-yl)-5-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-4-methyl-1H-pyrazole-3-carboxamide.HCl (SR141716A, 3 mg/kg, i.p.) antagonized the actions of the CB1 receptor agonist Delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol, but not of livanil, anandamide or capsaicin. Anandamide occluded the effects of livanil on locomotion, possibly suggestive of a common mechanism of action for the two compounds. Finally, stimulation with capsaicin of cells expressing rat vanilloid VR1 receptors led to anandamide formation. These data suggest that motor behavior can be suppressed by the activation of: (1) vanilloid receptors, possibly via the intermediacy of anandamide; or (2) capsazepine- and SR141716A-insensitive sites of action for anandamide, livanil and linvanil, possibly the same that were previously suggested to mediate arvanil hypokinetic effects in mice.

Early behavioral development in autistic children: the first 2 years of life through home movies.

OBJECTIVE: The main aim of the research is to study the early behavioral development in autistic children through home movies. METHODS: fifteen home movies, regarding the first 2 years of life of autistic children are compared with the home movies of 15 normal children. The films of the two groups were mixed and rated by blind ratings with the Grid for the Assessment of Normal Behavior in Infants and Toddlers. The grid is composed of 17 items grouped into three developmental areas: social competence, intersubjectivity and symbolic activity. For every area, we have identified specific children's behaviors. RESULTS: Significant differences between the two groups are found both in the range of age 0-6 for intersubjectivity, and in the ranges of age 6-12 and 18-24 for symbolic activity. CONCLUSIONS: The authors pose some hypotheses about an early-appearing impairment of intersubjectivity, the ability to represent other's state of mind, in subjects with autistic disorder.

Metabolites from a marine bacterium Pseudomonas/Alteromonas, associated with the sponge Dysidea fragilis.

The lipophylic extract from a Black Sea bacterium, associated with the sponge Dysidea fragilis, was investigated. Saturated hydrocarbons and fatty acids of the lipids were identified. The concentrations of the polycyclic compounds appeared to be negligible. The main components appeared to be phosphatidyl ethanolamine, followed by phosphatidyl serine. The first was investigated by FAB mass spectrometry and a series of molecular species partially identified.

Occurrence of D-aspartic acid and N-methyl-D-aspartic acid in rat neuroendocrine tissues and their role in the modulation of luteinizing hormone and growth hormone release.

Using two specific and sensitive fluorometric/HPLC methods and a GC-MS method, alone and in combination with D-aspartate oxidase, we have demonstrated for the first time that N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), in addition to D-aspartate (D-Asp), is endogenously present as a natural molecule in rat nervous system and endocrine glands. Both of these amino acids are mostly concentrated at nmol/g levels in the adenohypophysis, hypothalamus, brain, and testis. The adenohypophysis maximally showed the ability to accumulate D-Asp when the latter is exogenously administered. In vivo experiments, consisting of the i.p. injection of D-Asp, showed that D-Asp induced both growth hormone and luteinizing hormone (LH) release. However, in vitro experiments showed that D-Asp was able to induce LH release from adenohypophysis only when this gland was co-incubated with the hypothalamus. This is because D-Asp also induces the release of GnRH from the hypothalamus, which in turn is directly responsible for the D-Asp-induced LH secretion from the pituitary gland. Compared to D-Asp, NMDA elicits its hormone release action at concentrations approximately 100-fold lower than D-Asp. D-AP5, a specific NMDA receptor antagonist, inhibited D-Asp and NMDA hormonal activity, demonstrating that these actions are mediated by NMDA receptors. NMDA is biosynthesized from D-Asp by an S-adenosylmethionine-dependent enzyme, which we tentatively denominated as NMDA synthase.

Sex steroid influence on cannabinoid CB(1) receptor mRNA and endocannabinoid levels in the anterior pituitary gland.

Recent studies have demonstrated the occurrence of endocannabinoid synthesis and of gene expression and immunoreactivity for the cannabinoid CB(1) receptor in the anterior pituitary gland. Since the activity of this gland is under the influence of circulating sex steroids, the present study was designed to elucidate whether expression of the CB(1) receptor gene in the anterior pituitary gland is also under the influence of these steroids. To this aim, we first examined the possible changes in the levels of CB(1) receptor-mRNA transcripts in the anterior pituitary gland of intact male rats and normal cycling female rats at the different stages of the ovarian cycle. We observed that males had higher levels of CB(1) receptor-mRNA transcripts than females. In addition, these transcripts fluctuated in females during the different phases of the ovarian cycle, with the highest values observed on the second day of diestrus and the lowest on estrus. In these animals, we also measured the content of endocannabinoids in the anterior pituitary gland and the hypothalamus. We observed that females had higher contents of anandamide than males in both cases. The content of anandamide in females also fluctuated during the ovarian cycle in both the anterior pituitary gland and the hypothalamus. The highest values in the anterior pituitary gland were found in the estrus and the lowest on the first day of diestrus and proestrus, whereas the inverse tendency was found in the hypothalamus. No changes were observed in the other major endocannabinoid, 2-arachidonoyl-glycerol, between males and females and during the ovarian cycle. To further explore the potential influence of circulating sex steroids on CB(1) receptor gene expression in the anterior pituitary gland, as a second objective, we examined the possible changes in the amount of transcripts for this receptor in gonadectomized and sex steroid-replaced gonadectomized rats of both sexes. We observed that orchidectomy (ORCHX) in males reduced CB(1) receptor-mRNA levels, whereas replacement with dihydrotestosterone also maintained low levels of this messenger. In females, estradiol-replaced ovariectomized (OVX) rats exhibited significantly lower CB(1) receptor-mRNA levels than OVX animals that had not been replaced with this estrogen. In this experiment, we also examined if the previously reported response of the CB(1) receptor gene in the anterior pituitary lobe to chronic administration of Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta(9)-THC) is under sex steroid influence. We observed that chronic Delta(9)-THC treatment decreased CB(1) receptor-mRNA levels in intact and ORCHX males, but not in dihydrotestosterone-replaced ORCHX males. In females, Delta(9)-THC treatment produced no effect in both OVX- and estradiol-replaced OVX rats. In summary, these data collectively support that expression of the CB(1) receptor gene in the anterior pituitary gland is regulated by sex steroids in both males and females. Furthermore, gonadal steroids appear to affect the response of this gene to chronic cannabinoid administration. We have also observed that anandamide contents in the anterior pituitary gland and the hypothalamus might be controlled by circulating sex steroids. The functional implications of these data are discussed.

Biosynthesis and inactivation of N-arachidonoylethanolamine (anandamide) and N-docosahexaenoylethanolamine in bovine retina.

N-Arachidonoylethanolamine (anandamide; AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), the two proposed endogenous agonists of cannabinoid receptors, and the putative AEA biosynthetic precursor, N-arachidonoylphosphatidylethanolamine (NArPE), were identified in bovine retina by means of gas chromatography-electron impact mass spectrometry (GC-EIMS). This technique also allowed us to identify N-docosahexanoylethanolamine (DHEA) and 2-docosahexanoylglycerol (2-DHG), two derivatives of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), one of the most abundant fatty acids esterified in retina phospholipids and necessary for optimal retinal function. N-Docosahexaenoylphosphatidylethanolamine (NDHPE), the potential biosynthetic precursor for DHEA, was also found. The fatty acid composition of the sn-1 and sn-2 positions of bovine retina's most abundant phospholipid classes, also determined here, were in agreement with a phospholipid-dependent mechanism for 2-AG, 2-DHG, AEA, and DHEA biosynthesis, as very high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids, including DHA, were found on the sn-2 position of phosphatidylcholine (PC) and -ethanolamine (PE), and measurable amounts of di-docosahexanoyl-PC and -PE, two potential biosynthetic precursors of NDHPE, were detected. Accordingly, we found that isolated particulate fractions from bovine retina could release AEA and DHEA in a time-dependent fashion. Finally, a fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH)-like activity with subcellular distribution and pH dependency similar to those reported for the brain enzyme was also detected in bovine retina. This activity was inhibited by FAAH inhibitors, phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride and arachidonoyltrifluoromethylketone, and appeared to recognize DHEA with a lower efficiency than AEA. These data indicate that AEA and its congeners may play a physiological role in the mammalian eye.

Study of the onset of autism through home movies.

The authors describe the natural history and the beginning of pervasive developmental disorders (PDD) by the observation of home movies. The sample is composed of 26 children aged 18 months to 5 or 6 years at the first consultation. The methodology used in the observation of home movies includes: (1) application of the ERC-A-III scale for recognizing the precocious symptoms of autism; (2) analysis of the coming out and coming off of social, emotional and cognitive competences. The authors, starting from the analysis of these data, describe three kinds of onset and courses of PDD: progressive, regressive and fluctuating. The authors present some conclusive considerations on the different age of PDD onset in home movies, in anamnestic reconstruction and in recall for diagnosis.

Finding of the endocannabinoid signalling system in Hydra, a very primitive organism: possible role in the feeding response.

Hydra (Cnidaria) is the first animal organism to have developed a neural network, which has been proposed to control, inter alia, the "feeding response", i.e. a mechanism through which the coelenterate opens and then closes its mouth in the presence of prey and/or glutathione. Here, we report that Hydra contains: (i) selective cannabinoid binding sites; (ii) the endogenous cannabinoid receptor ligand, anandamide (arachidonoylethanolamide); (iii) a fatty acid amide hydrolase-like activity catalysing anandamide hydrolysis; and (iv) the putative biosynthetic precursor of anandamide, N-arachidonoylphosphatidylethanolamine. We suggest that this "endogenous cannabinoid system" is involved in the modulation of the "feeding response". Anandamide (1 nM-1 microM) potently inhibited (up to 45%) the glutathione-induced "feeding response" by accelerating Hydra vulgaris mouth closure. The effect was maximal at 100 nM anandamide and was reversed by the selective antagonist of the CB1 subtype of mammalian cannabinoid receptors, SR 141716A (50-100 nM). Specific cannabinoid binding sites were detected in membranes from Hydra polyps by using [3H]SR 141716A (Kd= 1.87 nM, Bmax = 26.7 fmol/mg protein), and increasing anandamide concentrations were found to displace the binding of [3H]SR 141716A to these membranes (Ki = .505 nM). Hydra polyps were also found to contain amounts of anandamide (15.6 pmol/g) and N-arachidonoylphosphatidylethanolamine (32.4 pmol/g), as well as the other "endocannabinoid" 2-arachidonoylglycerol (11.2 nmol/g), comparable to those described previously for mammalian brain. Finally, a fatty acid amide hydrolase activity (Vmax = 3.4 nmol/min/mg protein), with subcellular distribution, pH dependency and sensitivity to inhibitors similar to those reported for the mammalian enzyme, but with a lower affinity for anandamide (Km = 400 microM), was also detected in Hydra polyps. These data suggest that the endocannabinoid signalling system plays a physiological role in Hydra that is to control the feeding response. Hydra is the simplest living organism described so far to use this recently discovered regulatory system.

Clozapine treatment in an adolescent with bipolar disorder.

A 15 year-old adolescent boy with a severe treatment refractory bipolar disorder type I, most recent episode manic, severe with psychotic features had previously required hospitalizations and treatment with lithium and/or carbamazepine and high doses of standard neuroleptics without any response. A treatment with a combined clozapine-lithium therapy was progressively started in a hospital setting (clozapine 300 mg/day; lithium 1350 mg/day). After 15 days a dramatic improvement in mood and psychotic symptoms was evident. After four weeks there was 50% improvement on the BPRS (from 74 to 37). The mean CGAS score changed from 25 to 72. At the CGI-Severity of Illness subscale, a 57% decrease was evident; at the CGI-Global Improvement subscale there was a 75% increase. The only significant side effects were sedation and fatigue, but they were not so severe as to induce a reduction of dosage. The boy was discharged from the hospital after three weeks and successfully returned to school with no modifications in treatment. After a nine-month treatment there was no reoccurrence of psychotic or manic symptoms. The implications of pharmacological therapy in treatment refractory manic episodes with psychotic features are discussed.

X-linked ichthyosis: relation between cholesterol sulphate, dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate and patient's age.

Steroid sulphatase deficiency is a feature of recessive X-linked ichthyosis (RXLI) that causes the accumulation of sulphated steroids (SS) in various organs and cells. In a previous study, we detected elevated cholesterol sulphate (CS) and dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS) serum levels in a group of 15 RXLI patients selected in a narrow age range. In the present study both CS and DHEAS serum levels were qualitatively and quantitatively determined using gas-chromatographic analysis in a group of 33 RXLI patients ranging in age from 3 to 70 years. The levels of CS and DHEAS were significantly increased in all patients. Variations in SS were related both to patients' ages and clinical course of the disease; Serum SS levels start to increase in early infancy, peak at puberty, remain elevated in adults and decrease slightly in the elderly.

[Symptomatological patterns of infancy diseases. Presentation of a new Symptom Checklist]. / Pattern sintomatologici nei disturbi della prima infanzia. Presentazione di una nuova Symptom Checklist.

BACKGROUND: Recently it is often very frequent a request of specialist consultation for children with psychic discomfort expressed through somatic complaints and/or behavior disorders. The real meaning of these symptoms in terms of prognosis, is not clear; indeed they can be the first signs of a poor prognosis of developmental disorders or a transient developmental crisis. The objective of this study is the evaluation of a Symptom Checklist as an instrument which allows to point out the somatic complaints and the behavior disorders of Italian children aged less than 48 months and to identify symptoms patterns which label the main neurological and psychiatric diseases in that age. METHODS: The Symptom Checklist has been used transversely in a clinical sample of 30 subjects (24 males and 6 females) aged less than 48 months with developmental linguistic disorder, born prematurely or with a developmental pervasive disorder and in a control sample of 37 children (21 males and 16 females). RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The results obtained, matching every single group to each other and every single group to the control group, identify symptoms pattern (somatic or behavioral) specific for each clinical condition examined; therefore, the clinical utility of Symptom Checklist in pointing out in infancy psychiatric risk cases for a poor prognosis is confirmed.

Occurrence and metabolism of anandamide and related acyl-ethanolamides in ovaries of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus.

Cannabinoid receptors have been described in sea urchin sperm and shown to mediate inhibition of sperm acrosome reaction. Anandamide (arachidonoyl-ethanolamide), the mammalian physiological ligand at the cannabinoid CB1 receptor, has been subsequently found to effect this inhibition. Here we present data showing that ovaries from the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus contain anandamide and two related acyl-ethanolamides, as well as enzymatic activities potentially responsible for their biosynthesis and degradation. Pilot experiments carried out with either ovaries or spermatozoa, extracted from both P. lividus and Arbacea lixula and radiolabelled with [14C]ethanolamine, showed that in sexually mature ovaries of both species significant levels of radioactivity were incorporated into a lipid component with the same chromatographic behaviour as anandamide. Lipid extracts from P. lividus ovaries were purified and analysed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry which showed the presence of low but measurable amounts of anandamide, palmitoyl- and stearoyl-ethanolamides. The extracts were also found to contain lipid components with the same chromatographic behaviour as the N-acyl-phosphatidyl-ethanolamines, the phospholipid precursors of acyl-ethanolamides in mammalian tissues, and capable of releasing anandamide, palmitoyl- and stearoyl-ethanolamides upon digestion with S. chromofuscus phospholipase D. Accordingly, whole homogenates from P. lividus contained an enzymatic activity capable of converting synthetic [3H]N-arachidonoyl-phosphatidyl-ethanolamine into [3H]anandamide. Finally, mature ovaries of P. lividus were shown also to contain an amidohydrolase activity which catalyses the hydrolysis of anandamide and palmitoyl-ethanolamide to ethanolamine. This enzyme displayed subcellular distribution, pH/temperature dependency profiles and sensitivity to inhibitors similar but not identical to those of the previously described 'anandamide amidohydrolase' from mammalian tissues. These data support the hypothesis, formulated in previous studies, that anandamide or related metabolites may be oocyte-derived cannabimimetic regulators of sea urchin fertility.