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Smoking very potent cannabis damages the brain
Smoking highly potent cannabis strains can cause communication between our two halves of the brain to be damaged. Brain studies have found that subtle changes occur in the white matter that transmits signals between the halves of the brain when people regularly smoke potent cannabis. Scientists from "King's College London", in collaboration with researchers from "Sapienza University" in Rome, conducted a study on this topic and published their work in the medical journal "Psychological Medicine ".
Many researchers have known for some time that the long-term use of cannabis increases the risk of developing psychosis. Changes in the structure and function of our brain could be responsible for this greater susceptibility, the scientists added. The new study is the first to investigate the effect of cannabis starch on brain structure. A study on this topic is particularly important because some varieties of cannabis today have much more Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). About a decade ago, these strains would have contained a much lower THC content, said researchers from King's College London. Today, normal varieties of cannabis contain about two to four percent THC, the stronger varieties may even contain ten to 14 percent THC. Such high-THC grades are currently the most widely used form of cannabis in the UK, physicians suggest.
High potency cannabis is harmful. Image: olyas8 - fotolia Highly potent cannabis strains such as "Skunk" damage the corpus callosum
Dr. Paola Dazzan, senior investigator of the study, said in an opinion that the frequent use of highly effective cannabis significantly affects our brains. The substance changes the structure of the white matter fibers in the brain, these influence whether a person develops psychosis or not. Thus, it seems that the use of strong cannabis strains, such as Skunk, causes damage to the corpus callosum. Because of this, the communication of the hemispheres of the brain becomes less efficient.
Study with nearly one hundred subjects should bring clarity
In the study, the researchers used a special technique of magnetic resonance imaging to examine the white matter in the brain of 56 patients. These had previously shown the first signs of psychosis. For comparison, 43 healthy people from the local area were included in the study. The researchers particularly closely examined the largest white matter structure in the brain, the corpus callosum. This is responsible for the communication between the left and right brain. The white matter consists of a large bundle of nerve cell processes, which connect different regions of the brain and thus enable communication with each other. The corpus callosum is particularly rich in cannabinoid receptors, which affect the THC, said the researchers of the study.
Public must be warned of consequences of potent THC
The study found that frequent use of highly potent cannabis is associated with significantly higher average diffusivity (MD). This is considered a clear marker for the damage of white matter structure in the brain. Dr. Tiago Rice Marques from Kings College London said the white matter damage in the long-term users of high-potency cannabis is significantly greater than in those who consume only occasionally or low potency cannabis. There is an urgent need to "inform health professionals, the public and policymakers about the risks associated with the use of cannabis," added the researcher. When assessing the use of cannabis, it was "extremely important to collect information such as what kind and how often which cannabis was consumed". Such data could help to classify "the risk of developing mental health problems through the use of cannabis". In addition, "the awareness of the general public must be clarified, which severe consequences of high-potency potent cannabis and how the consumption of the brain could damage," said researchers to the journal.