Cannabinoid Receptor Ligands and Structure-Activity Relationships -- Structure-Activity Relationships of Classical Cannabinoids -- Endocannabinoids and Their Synthetic Analogs -- Cannabimimetic Indoles, Pyrroles, and Indenes: Structure-Activity Relationships and Receptor Interactions -- Structure-Activity Relationships and Conformational Freedom of CB1 Receptor Antagonists and Inverse Agonists -- Cannabinoid Receptor Biology -- Cannabinoid Receptor Genetics and Evolution -- Cannabinoid Receptor Molecular Pharmacology -- Cannabinoid Receptor Signal Transduction Pathways -- Cannabinoid Agonist and Inverse Agonist Regulation of G Protein Coupling -- Molecular Biology of Cannabinoid Receptors: Mutational Analyses of the CB Receptors -- Models of Cannabinoid Inverse Agonism, Neutral Antagonism, and Agonism: Tools for Rational Drug Design -- The Endocannabinoid System -- Endocannabinoids as Modulators of Synaptic Signaling -- New Insights into the Endocannabinoid System by Using Cannabinoid Receptor Knockout Mice -- Cannabinoid Receptor Pharmacology -- Preclinical Pharmacological and Brain Bioassay Systems for CB1 Cannabinoid Receptors -- Therapeutic Applications for Agents that Act at CB1 and CB2 Receptors. As research has progressed, the cannabinoid CB 1 and CB 2 receptors have expanded significantly in importance within the neuroscience mainstream. In The Cannabinoid Receptors, leading experts introduce newcomers to the cannabinoid field with chapters covering cannabinoid ligand synthesis and structure activity relationships, the molecular pharmacology of the cannabinoid receptors and the endocannabinoid system, and ultimately, the whole animal pharmacology and therapeutic applications for cannabinoid drugs. Adding to those key topics, the book also examines the current direction of the field with chapters on new putative cannabinoid receptors and challenges for future research. As a part of The Receptors (TM)¢ series, this volume highlights its receptor with the most thorough, focused and essential information available. Comprehensive and cutting-edge, The Cannabinoid Receptors serves as an ideal guidebook to what continues to be a fascinating and vital field.