[CannaBunkerMan]

I found this interesting article from Science Daily about the connection between the body's endocannabinoid system and protecting the brain from aging. While is doesn't go as far to say that MMJ can help stave off alzheimers, it does show that more research is needed. If I remember correctly, there was a recent theory that MMJ has some sort of effect on Alzheimer's disease.


https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0712093856.htm

ScienceDaily (July 12, 2011) — Researchers from the Universities of Bonn and Mainz have discovered a mechanism that seems to protect the brain from aging. In experiments with mice, they switched off the cannabinoid-1 receptor. As a consequence, the animals showed signs of degeneration -- as seen in people with dementia -- much faster.

The research results are presented in a current issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
Humans are getting older and older, and the number of people with dementia is increasing. The factors controlling degeneration of the brain are still mostly unknown. However, researchers assume that factors such as stress, accumulation of toxic waste products as well as inflammation accelerate aging. But, vice versa, there are also mechanisms that can -- like a bodyguard -- protect the brain from degenerating, or repair defective structures.

Researchers from the Universities of Bonn and Mainz have now discovered a hitherto unknown function of the cannabinoid-1 receptor (CB1). A receptor is a protein that can bind to other substances, triggering a chain of signals. Cannabinoids such as THC -- the active agent in cannabis sativa -- and endocannabinoids formed by the body bind to the CB1 receptors. The existence of this receptor is also the reason for the intoxicating effect of hashish and marijuana.

Not only does the CB1 receptor have an addictive potential, but it also plays a role in the degeneration of the brain. "If we switch off the receptor using gene technology, mouse brains age much faster," said Önder Albayram, principal author of the publication and a doctoral student on the team of Professor Dr. Andreas Zimmer from the Institut für Molekulare Psychiatrie at the University of Bonn. "This means that the CB1 signal system has a protective effect for nerve cells."

Mice prove their brain power in a pool
The researchers studied mice in different age categories -- young six week old animals, middle-aged ones at five months, and those of an advanced age at 12 months. The animals had to master various tasks -- first, they had to find a submerged platform in the pool. Once the mice knew its location, the platform was moved, and the animals had to find it again. This was how the researchers tested how well the rodents learned and remembered.

The animals in which the CB1 receptor had been switched off (the knock-out mice) clearly differed from their kind. "The knock-out mice showed clearly diminished learning and memory capacity," said Privatdozent Dr. Andras Bilkei-Gorzo from Professor Zimmer's team, who led the study. So, animals that did not have the receptor were less successful in their search for the platform. "In addition, they showed a clear loss of nerve cells in the hippocampus," he explained further. This part of the brain is the central area for forming and storing information. In addition, the researchers found inflammation processes in the brain. As the mice advanced in age, the degenerative processes became increasingly noticeable.

Amazing parallels with the human brain
The animals with the intact CB1 receptor, to the contrary, did clearly better with regard to their learning and memory capabilities, as well as the health of their nerve cells. "The root cause of aging is one of the secrets of life," commented Albayram. This study has begun to open the door to solving this enigma. The processes in the mouse brains have a surprising number of parallels with age-related changes in human brains. So, the endocannabinoid system may also present a protective mechanism in the aging of the human brain.

The principal author cautioned, "This will require additional research." The scientists would like to better understand the mechanism by which CB1 receptors protect the brain from inflammation processes. And based on these signal chains, it might then be possible to develop substances for new therapies.

[Midnight Rudy]

This doesn't go as far as to say anything about mj does it? It is saying that the cannabinoid-1 receptor is important to brain health, and when they are gone the brain seems to follow. How does this in any way promote medical marijuana use? Is smoking good for the receptors?

[CannaBunkerMan]

I wasn't saying there was a direct connection. I was just trying to point out that some of the pathways that MMJ utilize also happen to be shown to be important for brain aging/health. However, there was some research recently that said smoking pot could help to slow the onset of Alzheimer's. There was also some to refute this claim, so it's still up in the air. I just thought maybe this article gave some prudence to the argument that pot could help with Alzheimer's and related diseases.

[Dudesome]

Marijuana is a very healthy thing to consume. Not only does it broaden one's personality, enhace intellectual abilities, improve the quality of life, but it also heals your brain from mental blocks and stresses, relaxes mind and body and entertains!
Everything should be taken in moderation, however. With every upswing there is a downswing.

Nice Post. TY for the info.

[Bi0hazard]

Originally Posted by Midnight Rudy

This doesn't go as far as to say anything about mj does it? It is saying that the cannabinoid-1 receptor is important to brain health, and when they are gone the brain seems to follow. How does this in any way promote medical marijuana use? Is smoking good for the receptors?

:: NO REAL SCIENTIFIC BACKGROUND NEEDED TO READ THIS ::

This is fascinating, and understanding it will help people tap into better medical benefits as well as specific psycho-active states (types of highs). I wrote up a simplified explanation to help people better understand.

In the past 10-15 years researchers have discovered a naturally occurring cannabinoid system in humans and other animals. It produces its own cannabinoids, without any direct consumption of cannabis, which are involved in the regulation of 70% of our body - by providing similar activation as the cannabinoids found in bud. This shows how influential this natural cannabis system is and why marijuana has so many medical applications - as well as why different strains with different cannabinoids influence our bodies in different ways and produce different psycho-active or medical effects.

They have synthesized many cananbinoid agonists (binds to receptor/s and activates signals) and antagonists (which block the receptor/s so the regular functions of the receptor/s are inhibited). By inhibiting CB1 or CB2 receptors they can see how much of our CNS and bodily function breaks down as a result of it being blocked. This can cue them into which areas of the body and brain cannabinoid activity is involved with. Similar to how they studied lesions in peoples brains. If a pathway was damaged and the persons mood was altered, or their balance or coordination - it gave them leads as to what that pathway was involved with.

Through the use of different cannabis strains or synthesized agonists that activate the CB1 and CB2 receptors they are able to achieve many of the medical benefits through the natural cannabis pathways, sometimes with even stronger results than the cannabinoid system's natural functionality.

Basically, through the use of activating (in different ways) cannabinoid receptors in different areas of the brain specifically. They were able to compare their results to the same tests where they blocked the same cannabinoid receptors (temporarily) with antagonists - while still giving them the same synthetic CB1 and CB2 agonist that provided the positive results previously. If the benefits disappeared because of the CB pathway being blocked (Antagonist) - while the previously effective agonist was given but being blocked as well. This shows what happens when that same system that provided the benefits with an agonist is inhibited and shut down. If shutting it down removes the beneficial effects of the agonist that worked without the blocker, then you can pinpoint that it was the activation of a specific CB receptor itself that was influencing the positive medical effects. Because you can activate it with an agonist or shut it down specifically with a blocker.

Many chemicals and elements in the world when consumed naturally break down into cannabinoids and are processed by our body's own cannabinoid system as Anandamide and 2-AG in its broken down form. For Instance Omega-3 is actually a cannabinoid when it gets processed in the body - it activates CB1. The Whole Lepton system of the body operates through the CB2 receptor - that means all our bodies metabolism is a cannabinoid function. Cannabinoids also hybridize with Dopamine, Serotonin, norepinephrine and other neurotransmitters and helps modulate them. Where they can ask for More or Less of a given signal to create a physiological state of equilibrium.

I will have to dig up a lot of the examples but I'll post a couple now that I bookmarked recently and find the rest later and post them to help give a bigger picture:

(Video Lecture) There is a really good lecture on this by the Researcher who first synthesized THC in the 70's. Explains the natural cannabinoid system, different applications for it.
Full Youtube Video of The 40 minute lecture.
Cannabinoid System in Neuroprotection - Raphael Mechoulam (Video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wmqh1...9091FF93F06E66

Cannabidiol (CDB) and (2)D9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are
neuroprotective antioxidants (1998)
https://www.pnas.org/content/95/14/8268.full.pdf (ARTICLE)

Cannabidiol (CDB) lowers incidence of diabetes in non-obese diabetic mice. Through CB2 activation.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16698671 (ARTICLE)

Activation of CB1 receptors in the Pre-Frontal cortex reduce symptoms of ADHD. It very effectively teats impulsiveness and restlessness.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14624808 (ARTICLE)

THC and Cannabidiol (CDB) help fight off and prevent Colds, Flus and general/super Bugs (the feeling sick kind).
https://www.scientificamerican.com/bl...rms-2008-08-27 (ARTICLE)

Omega-3 is broken down into endocannabinoids. Omega-3 deficiency breaks down the function of our natural cannabinoid system.
https://www.uccs.edu/~rmelamed/aging/lafourcade_et_al_2011.pdf (ARTICLE)

CB1 activation mediates baseline and
activity-induced survival of new neurons in adult
hippocampal neurogenesis. (Meaning the formation of new brain cells - which no other chemical on the planet has been shown to do)
https://www.biosignaling.com/content/...-811X-8-12.pdf (ARTICLE)

Our Endocannabinoid system influences the regulation of so much of our bodies, and is naturally released when is needed. By activating the same receptor sites, we are able to amplify or activate at will their beneficial effects.

Dank Regards,

Bi0hazard

[Midnight Rudy]

Nice Bio,
Thanks for the info. It would have been nice if the writers of the linked article added some of that information.

[Bi0hazard]

Originally Posted by Midnight Rudy

Nice Bio,
Thanks for the info. It would have been nice if the writers of the linked article added some of that information.

NP. That is just some of the few articles I had quick access to. I have a lot more ones, including its uses for cancer. CB2 activation in certain areas helps kill cancer cells by blocking Veg-F. Veg-F is what lets cancer cells get nutrition and expand. People thought it was just for nausea and eating. But it actually arrests the development of cancer and forces it to die off, since it can't get its nutrient source.

They are working on many drugs now as a way to reduce Veg-F, when Cannabinoids already do it very successfully.

[Anti]

Do you happen to have that study that was done maybe 2-3 years ago.. I wanna say it was University of Alabama. (I remember because i was surprised by it.) It was a study on optimal growing conditions of indoor cannabis.

If anyone knows what I'm babbling about, I'd love to read it again.

[Bi0hazard]

Originally Posted by Anti

Do you happen to have that study that was done maybe 2-3 years ago.. I wanna say it was University of Alabama. (I remember because i was surprised by it.) It was a study on optimal growing conditions of indoor cannabis.

If anyone knows what I'm babbling about, I'd love to read it again.

I'll try to do some web crawling and find it again. Gotta get some sleep first though. =]