as opposed to lucid dreaming meditation?Very good point had to be said thanks ^
Fully concious meditation.. sounds AWESOME sign me up
Key ingredient staves off marijuana memory loss
- Thread starter Maria_Vanessa
- Start date
I read once that one of the reasons for the effects of cannabis on the memory is a self-defense mechanism for predators of the plants. Animals who eat cannabis don't usually return to the same location, they don't remember it LOL. Since plants, trees, etc cannot flee, they have developed other survival skills.
Just a thought, I'll probably forget I was here ;D
Just a thought, I'll probably forget I was here ;D
madscientist81
Member
Cannabis doesn't always impair cognition: can also improve cognition....
Cannabis doesn't always impair cognition: can also improve cognition....
At first, it does seem that to the recreational cannabis user, cannabis would not be helpful for Alzheimer's because of its association with memory impariment. I would however, like to point out several flaws and counterpoints to this overlysimpified conception of cannabis.
Let us first agree that with cannabis, its for than just THC. There are a variety of other cannabinoids (in some rare strains) but in almost all strains there are also the Terpenes,Terpenoids, Flavanoids etc. First I will briefly discuss the research on single cannabinoids (including THC) and then discuss the synergistic effects that the other components can have with regards to question of memory function.
Ok, so THC= memory impairment correct? Not so fast! There are several variables at play in determining whether or not this is the case.
1.)Dose: Most recreational (and even many medical) users will consume cannabis is large doses (at least enough to become ''high''). Not only are large doses consumed, but they are usually consumed by smoking, which leads to quick and dramatic elevations of blood levels of THC (more on this later). Now regarding a low dose, different qualitative and quantitative effects on memory/cogntion can be observed. Such low doses may or may not provide a subjective change in one's consciousness, but this is less important since we are talking about medical application to Alzheimer's disease.
A.) Biphasic effects of cannabinoids on Acetylcholine release in the Hippocampus: Site and Mechanism of Action
-I will post a PDF copy of this, and other studies. In summary though, it was found that low doses of CB1 agonists (THC is one) lead to an increase in Acetylcholine (Ach) release, whereas a high dose caused prolonged inhibition of Ach release. As many of you are aware, Ach is involved in memory, and the main treatment for Alzheimer's at this time is Acetylcholinsterase inhibitors (they prevent the breakdown of Ach by the above named enzyme). This leads to another article about THC and Acetylcholine and Alzheimer's:
A Molecular Link between the Active Component of Marijuana and Alzheimer’s Disease Pathology
-Basically, THC was found to inhibit the Acetylcholinesterase enzyme better than all currently available prescription inhibitors!
Not only does THC accomplish this, but it also helps with the other component of Alzheimer's: Inflammation
Basically, its become abundantly clear that inflammation is a crucial factor in all of the neurodegenerative disease (such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's, etc).
Cannabinoids attentuate the effects of aging upon neuroinflammation and neurogenesis. Marchalant et al. 2009
Cannabis doesn't always impair cognition: can also improve cognition....
At first, it does seem that to the recreational cannabis user, cannabis would not be helpful for Alzheimer's because of its association with memory impariment. I would however, like to point out several flaws and counterpoints to this overlysimpified conception of cannabis.
Let us first agree that with cannabis, its for than just THC. There are a variety of other cannabinoids (in some rare strains) but in almost all strains there are also the Terpenes,Terpenoids, Flavanoids etc. First I will briefly discuss the research on single cannabinoids (including THC) and then discuss the synergistic effects that the other components can have with regards to question of memory function.
Ok, so THC= memory impairment correct? Not so fast! There are several variables at play in determining whether or not this is the case.
1.)Dose: Most recreational (and even many medical) users will consume cannabis is large doses (at least enough to become ''high''). Not only are large doses consumed, but they are usually consumed by smoking, which leads to quick and dramatic elevations of blood levels of THC (more on this later). Now regarding a low dose, different qualitative and quantitative effects on memory/cogntion can be observed. Such low doses may or may not provide a subjective change in one's consciousness, but this is less important since we are talking about medical application to Alzheimer's disease.
A.) Biphasic effects of cannabinoids on Acetylcholine release in the Hippocampus: Site and Mechanism of Action
-I will post a PDF copy of this, and other studies. In summary though, it was found that low doses of CB1 agonists (THC is one) lead to an increase in Acetylcholine (Ach) release, whereas a high dose caused prolonged inhibition of Ach release. As many of you are aware, Ach is involved in memory, and the main treatment for Alzheimer's at this time is Acetylcholinsterase inhibitors (they prevent the breakdown of Ach by the above named enzyme). This leads to another article about THC and Acetylcholine and Alzheimer's:
A Molecular Link between the Active Component of Marijuana and Alzheimer’s Disease Pathology
-Basically, THC was found to inhibit the Acetylcholinesterase enzyme better than all currently available prescription inhibitors!
Not only does THC accomplish this, but it also helps with the other component of Alzheimer's: Inflammation
Basically, its become abundantly clear that inflammation is a crucial factor in all of the neurodegenerative disease (such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's, etc).
Cannabinoids attentuate the effects of aging upon neuroinflammation and neurogenesis. Marchalant et al. 2009
madscientist81
Member
Cannabinoid receptor stimulation is anti-inflammatory and improves memory in old rats. Marchalant et al. 2007
OK another variable is dose- is it acute dosing or chronic administration. Most medications are administed on a chronic basis, and the patient is instructed that there will be a period of time when there body will experience side-effects until they become tolerant to these effects, and that once these side effects reside, this will also coincide with the onset of therapeutic effects. SSRI antidepressants are a good example of this phenomenon. I would argue that cannabis is no different. Most people are familiar with the effects of behavioral tolerance, in which a regular user can function normally on said substance compared to a naive user.
Tolerance to the memory disruptive effects of cannabinoids involves adaptation by hippocampal neurons. Hampson et al. 2003
One last tidbit. We all have heard the increasing talk about the importance of the other cannabinoids, as well as terpenes and flavanoids etc in cannabis. Many of these, including pinene, pulegone and 1,8 cineole may all be Acetylcholinsterase inhibitors, or (in addition to other terpenes) possess additional neurochemical effects which can minimize any amnestic effects of excessive THC consumption.
I would have posted more PDFs, but apparently ICmag won't let me upload them because they are too large file size.
OK another variable is dose- is it acute dosing or chronic administration. Most medications are administed on a chronic basis, and the patient is instructed that there will be a period of time when there body will experience side-effects until they become tolerant to these effects, and that once these side effects reside, this will also coincide with the onset of therapeutic effects. SSRI antidepressants are a good example of this phenomenon. I would argue that cannabis is no different. Most people are familiar with the effects of behavioral tolerance, in which a regular user can function normally on said substance compared to a naive user.
Tolerance to the memory disruptive effects of cannabinoids involves adaptation by hippocampal neurons. Hampson et al. 2003
One last tidbit. We all have heard the increasing talk about the importance of the other cannabinoids, as well as terpenes and flavanoids etc in cannabis. Many of these, including pinene, pulegone and 1,8 cineole may all be Acetylcholinsterase inhibitors, or (in addition to other terpenes) possess additional neurochemical effects which can minimize any amnestic effects of excessive THC consumption.
I would have posted more PDFs, but apparently ICmag won't let me upload them because they are too large file size.
