Marijuana Flashcards
Is it actually addictive?
Actually, yes. 9-10% of people who use it seem to have a very hard time quitting. How long / how much it takes to develop addiction is unclear.
Why is it hard to parse out the actual effects of cannabis / what parts of the brain it acts upon?
Because there’s a whole bunch of different crap in there - it’s not perfectly clear which ones should be studied.
3 main psychoactive components of cannabis?
THC, THCV, and cannabidiol.
Major active metabolite of THC? One effect it has?
OH-THC
Anxiolytic at low doses, anxiogenic at high doses.
Major inactive metabolite of THC?
THC-COOH
What happens when you use a cannibinoid antagonist for cannabis addiction?
It works, but causes severe depression.
What bad things happen when the doses of THC get too high?
Paranoia/panic and psychosis become more common.
What does cannabis use during adolescence seem to increase the risk for?
Schizophrenia. (correlation or causation?)
Is marijuana really a gateway drug?
Nah. People just go for what’s available.
What part of the brain is less active when marijuana is having an anxiolytic effect?
The ventral striatum.
5 toxic effects on cognition/CNS function?
Ataxia (balance and orientation) Reduced motivation Impaired memory Impaired perception Impaired conciousness
Most useful somatic effects of marijuana? (3 things)
Antiemetic
Reduction of intra-ocular tension in glaucoma
Increased appetite
3 notable criteria for cannabis withdrawal as will appear in the DSM V? (there are actually 7 criteria)
Irritablity, anger or aggression
Nerviousness or anxiety
Sleep difficulty (insomnia)
(others include decreased appetite, depression, restlessness, and physical symptoms)
Why is marijuana so dangerous for driving?
High lasts for about 2 hours.
Motor/visual impairment lasts for more like 10 hours, but you don’t feel it.
(and alcohol + marijuana = you’re fucked, if driving)
Why do people who smoke regularly take longer to test negative for marijuana?
It builds up in fat and is slowly released.
What are Dronabinol and Nabilone? What do they work for?
Oral cannabinoids that can be taken as an anti-emetic and for AIDS-related cachexia. They don’t work for withdrawal.
What are the 2 main cannabinoid receptors? Where are they?
CB1: Brain, fat, liver, duodenum, muscle
CB2: lymphocytes
What are 2 important endogenous cannabinoids?
Annandamide
2-AG
Where are CB1 receptors in the brain?
Everywhere
Being in the basal ganglia, cerebellum, hippocampus, mPFC, amygdala, and brainstem seem particularly relevant, though
How might visual cues relate to addiction?
Seeing them lights up the brains of people with cannabis addiction.
Could a CB1 antagonist help obesity?
Yeah, but it causes severe depression.
