The negative effect of marijuana on memory
Although marijuana is considered to be a light drug and many people perceive it as a harmless or a plant that yields only positives, it is a fatal mistake. Today we look at how it affects memory.
Long-term use of marijuana significantly affects working memory, the ability to maintain and process information for their continued use, understanding and learning.
Research in Cell
A study published in Cell Magazine provides insight into the effects of THC on the brain. Her conclusions are surprising. As the most important psychoactive component of marijuana, THC damages the brain by not having to act directly on individual neurons. Damage is caused through astrocytes (afternervous system supportive and nutritional agents) believed to play a secondary role in memory.
For a long time, scientists have assumed that astrocytes have a purely supportive, protective, and nutritional function. It is only in recent years that facts have emerged where astrocytes have a more active role, especially in linking individuals.h neurons. Receptors that receive normal brain signals and register THC are found not only on neurons but also on the aforementioned astrocytes. In an experimental mouse experiment, these receptors were blinded to astrocytes. Mice were thus protected from the negative effects of THC on working memory.
Thus, the immediate THC intoxication not only brings pleasant feelings such as relaxation and euphoria, but also causes memory deterioration for recent events and also reduces the ability to remember new information. Intoxication THC begins to dominate the right hemisphere. MostHowever, it is not surprising that marijuana users have such memory problems.
Madeline Meiers research at Duke University, North Carolina
A very worrying result was the study of more than a thousand New Zealanders and the impact of cannabis on their health. She concluded that smokers were they did not reach themand who enjoy marijuana on a regular and long-term basis are subject to permanent damage to intelligence, attention and memory. Noalso has a negative impact on brain development and mental capacity. As an alarming fact, it may sound like smoking once a week can damage your memory.
VýzNational Institute of Drug Addiction in Baltimore
Lets take a look at further research by the National Institute of Drug Addiction in Baltimore, which was credited by Ronald Herning and Jean Lud. 54 smokers and 18 marijuana non-smokers were taken into research. They detected the rate of blood flow through the cerebral arteries. The measurements were made by Dopler ultrasonographyfirst at the beginning of the experiment and then at the end, after a month. Significantly higher cerebral blood flow was seen in marijuana smokers. TAlso, smokers had higher pulsation index values (measures the degree of blood flow resistance). effect of the drugthe self-regulating ability of blood capillaries is lost , causing inability to change their inner diameter as needed and thus the capillary remains permanently narrowed.
Index pulsation in smokers was even higher than in patients with chronic high blood pressure or in people suffering from cuby truss.All this suggests that marijuana causes abnormalities in the capillaries of the brain. As for the return of these values to normal, it is a matter of longer time. Improvements in weak and moderate smokers occurred after a month of abstinence. And it is very striking that improvement has not been seen in heavy smokers at all.
For a better ideawe show how Herning has broken down smokers. The lightweight ones are those who smoke 2-15 joints a week, medium-sized consumers 17-70 joints, and consider people smoking 78-350 joints a week for heavy smokers.
Finally, we would say one thing. Marijuana is a versatile plant. It serves people as food, medicine, and is also used in construction, chemical and other industries, and it is through its misuse that both the negative side and the memory effect described today come to light.