Running head: HOW MARIJUANA AFFECTS THE BRAIN AND BODY

How the Hallucinogen Marijuana Can Affect the Brain and Body A Review of the Literature Caleb B. Wechsler Chemeketa Community College

Author Note This paper was prepared for Psychology 201, instructed by Professor Gutierrez.

HOW MARIJUANA AFFECTS ON BRAIN AND BODY How the Hallucinogen Marijuana Can Affect the Brain and Body A Review of the Literature

Weed, dope, pot, grass, Mary Jane. These are all slang terms for the hallucinogenic drug marijuana. Since discovery of THC in 1960, marijuana has received more and more recognition, especially with the recent legalization of not only its medical use, but recreational use as well in some states. With all of this recognition, one starts to become curious as to why this hallucinogen has become such a big part of peoples lives. Most users say the same thing, that these drugs give them a high, a sense of reality that is distorted from the norm and induces feelings of euphoria, joy, and when eaten in large doses, can create hallucinations (Feist & Rosenberg, 2012, p. 206). This high is both physiological and psychological, a true natural phenomenon. This literature review will attempt to answer two important questions about this drug: 1. How does marijuana affect the brain and body? 2. How has this drug been relevant to my life? By explaining these two things, I will attempt to help the reader understand how one gets a high while using this drug, how this high affects a user physically and mentally in certain ways, and how marijuana is relatable to my own life. How Does Marijuana Affect the Brain and Body? Although cannabis has been around forever, only since the discovery of delta-9tetrahydrocannibol (THC), the main active ingredient in marijuana, has the science of how it works surfaced. First and foremost, marijuana is not a sedative or depressant like most think, but a true hallucinogen. Since hallucinogenic properties are rarely felt at small or moderate doses as said earlier, I will focus more on the effects that one feels while smoking marijuana, rather than using any other type of delivery system. The effects are still similar between the two.

HOW MARIJUANA AFFECTS ON BRAIN AND BODY How marijuana gets to the brain is quite simple. One smokes the plant and the smoke passes down into the lungs and release THC directly into the bloodstream. Once inside the

bloodstream, the heart pumps it to all areas of the body, instantaneously reaching the brain. Once it reaches the brain, a chain of events and disruptions occurs that affects the body and brain. Inside the brain, we have a system called the endocannabinoid (EC) system. The EC system contains two cannabinoid receptors and creates its own natural cannabinoids called endocannabinoids. These receptors are known as CB1 and CB2, and the endocannabinoids are 2arachidonoyl glycerol (2-AG) and anandamide. The CB1 and CB2 receptors are located throughout different areas of the brain, not just one area, creating a mass array of why psychological and physiological levels in a THC induced high. In normal activity (no THC), neurons that are part of the EC system synthesize and release 2-AG and anandamide, creating a rhythmic balance between systems in the body. However, when THC (a non-brain created cannabinoid) is introduced into the EC system, it overloads the CB receptors, and has the ability to amplify or reduce whatever physiological or psychological effect of the part of the brain that the specific CB receptors are located (Scholastic, 2011). In summary, by introducing THC to neurons with CB receptors, the neurons become overloaded with unnatural cannabinoids, cannot do their jobs correctly, and the EC system becomes unbalanced and does not work as intended. Now that we have a basic understanding of how THC affects the EC system, we can begin to answer some questions as to the effects on us as human beings. First lets take a look at the main reason people recreationally smoke marijuana: to get high. Getting high is an extreme feeling of euphoria, happiness, and pleasantry and it is created in a part of the brain known as the nucleus accumbens. This is the part of the brain that is responsible for the reward system that the brain sends to the body. When THC bombards CB

HOW MARIJUANA AFFECTS ON BRAIN AND BODY receptors located inside the nucleus accumbens, the neurons release a large dose of two major

euphoria inducing chemicals, dopamine and GABA (Lupica, Riegel, & Hoffman, 2004, p. 227). Dopamine is directly involved in voluntary muscle control. When dopamine is released in high doses, an overwhelming feeling of relaxation can set in. GABA is an inhibitory transmitter that helps relax the brain so that the central nervous system (CNS) does not run out of control (Feist et. al, 2012, p. 92). When this happens, the user gets the oh-so-happy and relaxed feeling of being high and/or stoned. When a user is high, one main cognitive function elementary to human existence is affected negatively: memory. As learned from this course, the part of the brain that controls and regulates memory is the hippocampus. According to Hampson and Deadwyler (1999), the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), interferes with short-term memory (p. 715). If THC is directly affecting short-term memory, then it is safe to assume that it is directly affecting the hippocampus. In order for short-term memory to be transferred to long-term memory, one must practice what they learn in the short-term for it to transfer to storage in long-term. If THC inhibits short-term memory, then down the chain it also affects long-term memory. This explains why many users cannot retain information while they are high, or they forget things that they just did while being high. In addition, GABA transmitters mentioned earlier also play a part in memory formation, so when they are affected, so is memory. Physiological effects have direct correlation to the aforementioned psychological effects in addition to many others not listed. Because of the large releases of GABA and dopamine, and the extreme relaxation of voluntary muscle control through these transmitters, a user can find themselves lethargic, uncoordinated, and tired. When smoking marijuana, the rapid increase of THC creates excess blood flow to blood vessels, creating a warming sensation throughout the

HOW MARIJUANA AFFECTS ON BRAIN AND BODY body. During this rapid expansion of blood vessels throughout the body, smaller blood vessels such as those in the eyes can burst, leaving a user with infamous red eyes that have been long associated with smoking pot (National Geographic, 2013). Another long standing association with pot smokers is the uncontrollable urge of the munchies, or excessive appetite.

As we learned earlier in the year, the hypothalamus is the part of the brain that is directly responsible for appetite and sex drive (Feist et. al, 2012, p. 99). This means that neurons in the hypothalamus generate endocannabinoids that are detrimental in hunger and appetite control. In two separate reports, it was found that mice with abnormally high levels of hypothalamic endocannabinoids became massively obese because the large amount of endocannabinoids created a shortage of leptin in the bloodstream, and compensated by releasing more cannabinoids, thus resulting in a greater appetite (Kirkham et al. 2006; Marzo et al. 2001). What this means is that when THC is released into the bloodstream, it makes its way to the hypothalamus and overloads the CB receptors in the hypothalamic neurons. When this happens, just like in mice appetite grows and one will get the munchies. Smoking is not always fun, games, and eating. Sometimes smokers can experience extreme paranoia and anxiety. According to Feist et al. (2012), the part of the brain that is responsible for emotions, fear, and anxiety is the amygdala (p. 99). The amygdala has one of the highest concentrations of CB1 receptors in the brain. When THC overloads these receptors, they react by quickly reducing in number. According Van Laere et al. (2009), the level of cannabinoid receptors in the amygdala is directly (inversely) related to whether an individual is inhibited or uninhibited (p. 196). Lets take a closer look at the difference between inhibited and uninhibited. An inhibited person tends to be introverted, shy, and reserved, without the need for fear and anxiety. An uninhibited person tends to be extroverted and drawn to things that can produce much more excitatory feelings such

HOW MARIJUANA AFFECTS ON BRAIN AND BODY as anxiety, fear, and excitement. Since the amygdala is inversely related to these two groups, it

will have the opposite effect of the CB1 reactor. To explain it simply, when one doesnt shuffle THC to the amygdala, the amount of CB1 receptors does not change, creating a brain that is inhibitory in nature. In contrast, when one overloads the amygdala with THC (smoking marijuana), the CB1 receptors quickly reduce and this can create a brain that becomes easily uninhibited and excited. This can lead to panic attacks and paranoia. In translation, THC can create a more active brain, but in all the wrong places. How Does Marijuana Relate to My Life? As an adolescent and even into my adult years, I have smoked marijuana on both a regular (chronic) basis, and also off-and-on for recreational and medical purposes. When I smoked for the first time, I got extremely paranoid and anxious, telling myself Id never do it again. Later on in life as my brain matured and progressed, I tried again, this time without the paranoia. After researching I have been led to believe that the amygdala can be trained to become tolerant to THC. Another one of the biggest things I noticed that agreed with my research is that when I smoked, I would get horrible hunger cravings. I have had binges of 10,000 calories in a day on weed because my brain would not shut off the impulse for food. Not once would I get the feeling of being full until the effects of the THC wore off. In conclusion, THC creates natural phenomena in the brain that is a miracle to say the least. The correlation between brain and body while using THC is undeniable. After researching this topic, it has opened my eyes to some of the negative effects of THC and how it can actually reduce the hypothalamus and amygdala. Marijuana may be the wonder plant, but I believe that more research is needed to deem it safe for human consumption.

HOW MARIJUANA AFFECTS ON BRAIN AND BODY References

Deadwyler, S. A., & Hampson, R. E. (1999). Cannabinoids, hippocampal function and memory. [Abstract]. Life Sciences, 65(6-7), 715-723. doi:10.1016/S0024-3205(99)00294-5. Feist, G. J., & Rosenberg, E. L. (2012). Psychology: Perspectives and connections. (2nd ed.) Boston, MA: McGraw Hill. Kirkham, T. C., Tucci, S. A. (2006). Endocannabinoids in appetite control and the treatment of obesity. [Abstract]. CNS and Neurological Disorders Drug Targets, 5(3), 275-292. doi:10.2174/187152706777452272 Lupica, C. R., Riegel, A. C., & Hoffman, A. F. (2004). Marijuana and cannabinoid regulation of brain reward circuits. British Journal of Pharmacology, 143(2), 227-234. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0705931. Marzo, V. A., Goparaju, S. K., Wang, L., Liu, J., Batkai, S., Jarai, Z., . . . Kunos, G. (2001). Leptin-regulated endocannabinoids are involved in maintaining food intake. Nature, 410, 822-825. doi:10.1038/35071088 National Geographic, Drugs, Inc. (2013). How Marijuana Works [infographic]. Retrieved from http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/drugs-inc/interactives/infographic-howmarijuana-works Scholastic. (2011). The science of marijuana: How THC affects the brain. In Heads Up. Retrieved from http://headsup.scholastic.com/articles/the-science-of-marijuana. Van Laere, K., Goffin, K., Bormans, G., Casteels, C., Mortelmans, L., de Hoon, J., . . . Pieters, G. (2009). Relationship of type 1 cannabinoid receptor availability in the human brain to novelty-seeking temperament. [Abstract]. Archives of General Psychiatry, 66(2), 196204.