Frontiers in Pharmacology
2012
Adriana Caballero, Kuei Y Tseng
The cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1R) is the G-protein coupled receptor responsible for the majority of the endocannabinoid signaling in the human brain. It is widely distributed in the limbic system, basal ganglia, and cerebellum, which are areas responsible for cognition, memory, and motor control. Because of this widespread distribution, it is not surprising that drugs that activate CB1R have...
Developmental Neuroscience
2012
John C Churchwell, Paul D Carey, Helen L Ferrett et al.
It has been hypothesized that changes in striatal-mediated dopamine modulation during adolescence may increase the risk for initiating substance abuse as a result of its fundamental role in arbitrating reward sensitivity and motivation during learning and decision making. However, substance abuse during adolescence may also significantly modify striatal structure and function and concomitantly...
2012
Robert J. Kupper
Recently it has been suggested for the first time that patients with psychotic disorder experience higher levels of craving compared to healthy controls, independent of frequency of cannabis use [120].Yet, this study did not control for the effects of antipsychotic medication and there is evidence that craving is associated with type of antipsychotic treatment [121].Still, increased craving...
Neuropsychobiology
2012
Franziska Hürlimann, Stephan Kupferschmid, Andor E Simon
We present a case series of 6 patients who developed persistent depersonalization disorder in adolescence after consuming cannabis. In 2 of these cases, the illness course was severely disabling. Within the growing body of literature that investigates the effects of cannabis use on mental health, the association between cannabis and depersonalization disorder is widely neglected. We review the...
Psychopharmacology
2012
Michael E. Ballard, David A Gallo, Harriet Wit
38 citations
Rationale Several psychoactive drugs are known to influence episodic memory. However, these drugs’ effects on false memory, or the tendency to incorrectly remember nonstudied information, remain poorly understood. Objectives Here, we examined the effects of two commonly used psychoactive drugs, one with memory-enhancing properties (dextroamphetamine; AMP), and another with memory-impairing...
Journal of Neuroscience
December 7, 2011
George R King, Thomas Ernst, Weiran Deng et al.
Cannabis is the most abused illegal substance in the United States. Alterations in brain function and motor behavior have been reported in chronic cannabis users, but the results have been variable. The current study aimed to determine whether chronic active cannabis use in humans may alter psychomotor function, brain activation, and hypothalamic-pituitary-axis (HPA) function in men and women....
Neuropharmacology
December 2011
Erica Y Shen, Syed F. Ali, Jerrold S. Meyer
Most recreational users of 3, 4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or "ecstasy") also take cannabis, in part because cannabis can reduce the dysphoric symptoms of the ecstasy come-down such as agitation and insomnia. Although previous animal studies have examined the acute effects of co-administering MDMA and Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is the major psychoactive ingredient in...
Psychopharmacology
November 2011
Charlotte Klein, Emily Karanges, Adena Spiro et al.
The interactions between Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) during chronic treatment, and at equivalent doses, are not well characterised in animal models. The aim of this study is to examine whether the behavioural effects of THC, and blood and brain THC levels are affected by pre-treatment with equivalent CBD doses. Adolescent rats were treated with ascending daily THC...
Psychological Medicine
November 1, 2011
J E Houston, J Murphy, M Shevlin et al.
Cannabis consumption continues to be identified as a causal agent in the onset and development of psychosis. However, recent findings have shown that the effect of cannabis on psychosis may be moderated by childhood traumatic experiences. Using hierarchical multivariate logistic analyses the current study examined both the independent effect of cannabis consumption on psychosis diagnosis and...
Schizophrenia Bulletin
October 29, 2011
Christine Barrowclough, Richard A Emsley, Emily Eisner et al.
33 citations
BACKGROUND: Cannabis use has been identified as a potent predictor of the earlier onset of psychosis, but meta-analysis has not indicated that it has a clear effect in established psychosis. AIM: To assess the association between cannabis and outcomes, including whether change in cannabis use affects symptoms and functioning, in a large sample of people with established nonaffective psychosis...