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CBD does not temper THC’s effects on brain connectivity, may enhance disruption
In a recent study published in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology, researchers have found that cannabidiol (CBD) does not mitigate the disruptive effects of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on brain connectivity. In fact, the study suggests that CBD might even exacerbate these effects in some cases.
This challenges the commonly held belief that CBD can counterbalance the psychoactive impact of THC in cannabis. The research was motivated by the growing use of cannabis among adolescents and young adults, a period characterized by significant brain development.
Previous studies indicated that chronic cannabis use during adolescence could lead to changes in brain connectivity and cognitive impairments. However, there was a lack of detailed research on the acute effects of cannabis in this age group, especially considering the different compositions of cannabis with varying levels of THC and CBD.
THC is the main psychoactive component, responsible for the euphoric “high” and cognitive alterations associated with cannabis use. CBD, on the other hand, is non-psychoactive and has been suggested to have potential therapeutic properties, such as potentially reducing anxiety and possessing anti-inflammatory effects, but do not consider the other downsides of CBD use. While THC binds directly to cannabinoid receptors in the brain, influencing mood, perception, and cognition, CBD interacts more subtly with these receptors and can modulate the effects of THC.
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Study findings have "substantial public health implications," researchers say by Mike Bassett,
Excessive Cannabis use was associated with a higher risk of head and neck cancer (HNC), a large multicenter cohort study showed.
After matching for demographic characteristics, alcohol-related disorders, and tobacco use, patients with cannabis-related disorder had an increased risk of any HNC compared with those without cannabis-related disorder reported Niels C. Kokot, MD, of the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, and colleagues.
Moreover, a site-specific analysis showed that those with cannabis-related disorder had a higher risk of oral (RR 2.51, 95% CI 1.81-3.47), oropharyngeal (RR 4.90, 95% CI 2.99-8.02), and laryngeal (RR 8.39, 95% CI 4.72-14.90) cancers, they noted in JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery .
"The possibility of an association between cannabis use and HNC has substantial public health implications given that cannabis use is rising among young adults with trends toward legalization," wrote Kokot and colleagues. "Future studies should seek to use similarly large cohorts to analyze the association between cannabis use and HNC but can demonstrate additional strength of the association by using more thorough data on cannabis use, including dosage, frequency, and method of use."
In a commentary accompanying the study, Joseph Califano, MD, of the University of California San Diego, and colleagues, pointed out that the association between tobacco carcinogens and cancer was long suppressed by the tobacco industry. Thus, they suggested this study raises the question -- "are we repeating the same mistakes of the past we made with smoking, only now with marijuana and cannabis?"
"Given that cannabis is now a $20 billion industry in the U.S. alone with expanding availability, use, and popularity, this may be 'déjà vu, all over again' without appropriate research to understand the potential carcinogenic and salutatory effects of cannabis," they wrote. "Or, in the words of Yogi Berra, 'If you don't know where you are going, you might wind up someplace else.'"
For this analysis, Kokot and colleagues used the U.S. Collaborative network to access 20 years of data from 64 healthcare organizations (accounting for more than 90 million individuals).
Higher risks were also observed for those ages 60 and older with cannabis-related disorder:
- Any HNC
- Laryngeal cancer
- Oral cancer
- Oropharyngeal cancer
Kokot and colleagues also found that when cases of HNC were limited to those occurring more than 1 year after a cannabis-related disorder diagnosis, many of the associations increased, "demonstrating additional strength in the association."
In cases occurring 5 or more years after a cannabis-related disorder diagnosis, those associations fell in magnitude, "although several of the associations, including between cannabis use and any HNC, oral cancer, oropharyngeal cancer, and laryngeal cancer, remained," they noted.
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Also see Resilient Brain – Resilient Life
(for complete research https://www.nature.com/articles/s44220-024-00281-7)
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Chronic Cannabis Use Linked to Tragic Death of 22-Year-Old Woman
A History of Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome: The 22-year-old woman, who began using cannabis at 14, suffered from cannabis hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) for over three years. She visited the emergency room multiple times during this period, each visit marked by a week-long bout of intense vomiting and nausea. Doctors attributed her low potassium levels, a recurring problem, to the frequent vomiting and prescribed fluids and electrolytes for treatment.
She developed torsades de pointes, a potentially fatal arrhythmia characterised by a chaotic heart rhythm. Though doctors managed to restart her heart, the lack of oxygenated blood flow to the brain for over 30 minutes resulted in irreversible damage. The woman was declared brain dead four days later and removed from life support.(WRD News)
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