A study on the effects of chronic marijuana use was presented at a recent annual meeting of the Society for Nuclear Medicine in San Antonio, Texas. The study was a collaboration between the US National Institute of Mental Health and the US National Institute on Drug Abuse. It was presented on Monday night at the annual meeting of the Society of Nuclear Medicine.
What they highlighted in the presentation were brain scans of chronic daily use of marijuana – images that they said show the detrimental effect of the brain that heavy use of marijuana causes. The researchers said that heavy use causes a decrease in the number of receptors that are involved in important functions such as concentration, pleasure, pain tolerance, memory, appetite and movement coordination. They said that when smoked or ingested, cannabis’s psychoactive chemical binds to numerous cannabinoid receptors in the brain and throughout the body, and then affects a range of mental states and actions.
The study compared the brain scans of 30 daily marijuana smokers to the brain scans of non cannabis users over the course of four weeks. Using molecular imaging, researchers were able to see the changes in participants brains. They found the CB1 receptor, one of the two known types of cannabinoid receptors, decreased by roughly 20 percent compared to the non-consumers. Lead Author of the study, Dr. Jussi Hivonen said in a news release that with the study, they have been able to “show for the first time that people who abuse cannabis have abnormalities of the cannabinoid receptors in the brain”.
Interestingly, the researchers re-scanned 14 of the cannabis smokers after a one month of not using cannabis and found an increase in the receptor activity in the area that were deficient at the beginning of the study. They concluded with these findings that adverse effects of chronic marijuana use are reversible. Even though we know that the receptors play a role in pleasure, appetite, pain tolerance, we do not yet understand the extent of the role or the extent to which reduction in the CB1 receptors cause mental or physical problems. The study was only presented, and has yet to be published in a peer-reviewed journal, so the data and the conclusions are preliminary.
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To me it appears that the brain is adjusting to the amount of receptors needed. If daily marijuana use reduces the number and abstinence increases them it would appear that the body is only trying to get the proper amount.
would like to hear Dr. Mitch’s take on this study, especially considering the small sampliing
I love Pete’s comment! Interesting thoughts. Kaylea, Dr. Mitch addressed the study briefly on the NSL June 8th broadcast. First he said that they had to get out the PET scans, not just a CAT scan to find any changes to the brain chemistry, making the comment that you have to look pretty hard to find anything negative. Then he said the important thing in the study, was that the CB1 receptors returned to normal after a month of absence. He said that showed that any negative affect could be reversed by taking a month off from ingesting or smoking cannabis, something he advocates tokers do once a year or so anyway.
or….cb1 receptors might be the aggressive flaw in mankind .Because alot of people have noticed a reduction in aggression from constant smokers . Like a type A personality changes to a type c for a while during the high .At rush hour could we just dispense it out to the jerks
This sounds like more junk science to me – we all know that cannabis and CBD helps the brain to CREATE / re-generate cells – we also know that those depraved nazis who stand in the way of natural healing medicine often use junk science to perpetuate their lies. I’ll be watching this research as it is put to the test very closely. http://livefree-chooseoptionc.tk
Why are they stating this as a negative thing, when they say later that they don’t understand what cannabis actually does in the body later on? I agree with Pete… It simply shows the body responds by keeping the balance… further more, How do they know that it isn’t the under-developed cannabinoid recepters are not the problem & that cannabis helps the body get what it needs…
I have fibromyalgia and have used cannabis every day, several times a day for over a year now… The use of cannabis mkes me feel more “normal” (as opposed to high) than any other treatment I have tried.
Their pharmaceutials just about made me mental & almost killed me.
The symptoms of firbromyalgia include, concntration & memory problems, and so do the effects of opioid pain medications… so if cannabis has the same side effects… well with or without I’ve got them, so I’d rather feel better & be dumn than to be dumb & feel like crap to boot.
I know that these kinds of researchers “poopoo” testimonial evidence, but I personally think that they (NIMP & Institute on drug abuse) have a vested interest in discrediting cannabis as a helpful & powerful option in treating chronic pain. Not impresssed.