Marijuana is often used for relaxation, therefore, it is not surprising that the endocannabinoid system is critically involved in the regulation of emotion, anxiety and mood. In preclinical animal models, THC and other CB1 agonists produce a biphasic effect on anxiety, with low doses reducing anxiety (by blocking the release of the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate) and high doses promoting...
Clearly the majority of people who use marijuana do not develop schizophrenia. Yet, the human literature suggests that there is a modest association between cannabis exposure (particularly in adolescence) and later development of schizophrenia--whether or not this association is causal is hotly debated. This chapter reviews some of the evidence for and against such a causal relationship. The...
Global activation of CB1 receptors produces actions on hippocampal neurons, which results in interference with short tem memory and consolidation of memories that are currently being processed. However, such CB1 receptor activation does not impair recall of previously established memories. Evidence suggests that the acute effects of cannabis on memory depend in part on the type of cannabis that...