Cannabis increases the noise in your brain

medicalxpress.com ^ | December 3, 2015 | Provided by: Elsevier

[Red Badger]

Cannabis indica. Credit: Wikipedia =========================================================================================================================================

Several studies have demonstrated that the primary active constituent of cannabis, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (∆9-THC), induces transient psychosis-like effects in healthy subjects similar to those observed in schizophrenia. However, the mechanisms underlying these effects are not clear.

A new study, published in the journal Biological Psychiatry, reports that ∆9-THC increases random neural activity, termed neural noise, in the brains of healthy human subjects. The findings suggest that increased neural noise may play a role in the psychosis-like effects of cannabis.

"At doses roughly equivalent to half or a single joint, ∆9-THC produced psychosis-like effects and increased neural noise in humans," explained senior author Dr. Deepak Cyril D'Souza, a Professor of Psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine.

"The dose-dependent and strong positive relationship between these two findings suggest that the psychosis-like effects of cannabis may be related to neural noise which disrupts the brain's normal information processing," added first author Dr. Jose Cortes-Briones, a Postdoctoral Associate in Psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine.

The investigators studied the effects of ∆9-THC on electrical brain activity in 24 human subjects who participated in a three-day study during which they received two doses of intravenous ∆9-THC or placebo in a double-blind, randomized, cross-over, and counterbalanced design.

If confirmed, the link between neural noise and psychosis could shed light on the biology of some of the symptoms associated with schizophrenia.

"This interesting study suggests a commonality between the effects on the brain of the major active ingredient in marijuana and symptoms of schizophrenia," stated Dr. John Krystal, Editor of Biological Psychiatry. "The impairment of cortical function by ∆9-THC could underlie some of the cognitive effects of marijuana. Not only does this finding aid our understanding of the processes underlying psychosis, it underscores an important concern in the debate surrounding medical and legalized access to marijuana."

Explore further: A risk gene for cannabis psychosis

More information: Jose A. Cortes-Briones et al. The Psychosis-like Effects of Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Are Associated With Increased Cortical Noise in Healthy Humans, Biological Psychiatry (2015). DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2015.03.023

Journal reference: Biological Psychiatry search and more info website

[Red Badger]

This explains a whole lot about.............what?...........I heard something...........what were we talking about?.............when?.............

[Steely Tom]

Liberals also increase the noise in your brain.

[Berlin_Freeper]

High-strength cannabis may damage nerve fibres that handle the flow of messages across the two halves of the brain, scientists claim.

[Red Badger]

So liberals must have really noisy brains, if any...............

[Jim from C-Town]

I wondered where all those voices came from.I thought it was my kids!

[Red Badger]

Well, that would explain Obama, and him being from Hawaii and his Choom gang.................

[Red Badger]

I only do what the voices in my head tell me to do.................and they are very upset....................B^)

[Billthedrill]

[Responsibility2nd]

Noises. Voices. Whatever....

 

[Red Badger]

Lama Glama...............

[Ditter]

I already have noise in my brain/ears and I have never smoked MJ. I hate think how bad the noise would be if I had smoked it.

[Red Badger]

Well, the homeopathic theory holds that if you have a certain ailment that has certain symptoms, you ingest a substance that itself can cause those same symptoms.

Maybe this might even stop the noise if you have it already!.............

[Ditter]

OR............it might double it! No thanks.

[Darteaus94025]

This studdy iz a bunch of crudd. I use pott every day, and I’m good.

So, no I don’t beleve this stuff becuz I use pott every day, and I’m good.

becuz I use pot everyday and I’m...tired..now.

hungree two

[AmericanInTokyo]

Cheech and Chong are greatly saddened.

[Mr. Blond]

That sounds about right.

[Mariner]

They spent a bunch of money to figure out that pot makes one high.

And with today's pot, a half a joint would make anyone psychotic for 4-5 hours, at least.

[Mariner]

The study you cite has been debunked several times.

Even the authors have debunked it.

[Mariner]

Very cool graphic.

[Know et al]

I saw a bumper sticker that read:

I do everything my rice crispies tell me to.

I gave the driver plenty of space. LOL