Study shows white [brain] matter damage caused by 'skunk-like' cannabis

[DocM]

http://www.medicalxpress.com/news/2015-11-white-skunk-like-cannabis.html

Study shows white matter damage caused by 'skunk-like' cannabis

Smoking high potency 'skunk-like' cannabis can damage a crucial part of the brain responsible for communication between the two brain hemispheres, according to a new study by scientists from King's College London and Sapienza University of Rome.

Researchers have known for some time that long-term cannabis use increases the risk of psychosis, and recent evidence suggests that alterations in brain function and structure may be responsible for this greater vulnerability. However, this new research, published today in Psychological Medicine, is the first to examine the effect of cannabis potency on brain structure.

Exploring the impact of cannabis potency is particularly important since today's high potency 'skunk-like' products have been shown to contain higher proportions of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) than they did around a decade ago. In experimental studies THC has been shown to induce psychotic symptoms and 'skunk-like'  products high in THC are now thought to be the most commonly used form of cannabis in the UK.

Dr Paola Dazzan, Reader in Neurobiology of Psychosis from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King's College London, and senior researcher on the study, said: 'We found that frequent use of high potency cannabis significantly affects the structure of white matter fibres in the brain, whether you have psychosis or not.

'This reflects a sliding scale where the more cannabis you smoke and the higher the potency, the worse the damage will be.'

Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI), a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) technique, was used to examine white matter in the brains of 56 patients who had reported a first episode of psychosis at the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM), as well as 43 healthy participants from the local community.

The researchers specifically examined the corpus callosum, the largest white matter structure in the brain, which is responsible for communication between the left and right hemispheres. White matter consists of large bundles of nerve cell projections (called axons), which connect different regions of the brain, enabling communication between them.

The corpus callosum is particularly rich in cannabinoid receptors, on which the THC content of cannabis acts.

The study found that frequent use of high potency cannabis was linked to significantly higher mean-diffusivity (MD), a marker of damage in white matter structure.

Dr Tiago Reis Marques, a senior research fellow from the IoPPN at King's College London, said: 'This white matter damage was significantly greater among heavy users of high potency cannabis than in occasional or low potency users, and was also independent of the presence of a psychotic disorder.'

Dr Dazzan added: 'There is an urgent need to educate health professionals, the public and policymakers about the risks involved with cannabis use.

'As we have suggested previously, when assessing cannabis use it is extremely important to gather information on how often and what type of cannabis is being used. These details can help quantify the risk of mental health problems and increase awareness on the type of damage these substances can do to the brain.'

Provided by: King's College London

[+Red King Subscriber²]

I am all for legally getting high / drunk, but all against brain damage.

[T3X4S]

Why do you have to mention that brains are white ??!!   This is clickbait - nothing more - you should be ashamed !! This is 2015 #blackbraincellsmatter !!!

How dare you invoke your Trump right wing fanatical beliefs on us !!


Sorry - smoked a little - have some drain bamage

 

[papercut2008uk]

never used the stuff, but even i know skunk and cannabis are 2 very different things and in a lot of news articles i've seen online about this study have been comparing or saying it's about cannabis. 

[DocM]

never used the stuff, but even i know skunk and cannabis are 2 very different things and in a lot of news articles i've seen online about this study have been comparing or saying it's about cannabis. 

"Skunk" cannabis is a hybrid of C. sativa and C. indica with high potency and a distinctly strong odor. The name is simply descriptive slang.

[Draggendrop Veteran]

Similar to throwing this.......

into this......

[Ulkesh]

No worse than alcohol still.  

[DocM]

It's a tossup, trading one type of brain damage for another. 

"The only winning move is not to play"

[papercut2008uk]

 

"Skunk" cannabis is a hybrid of C. sativa and C. indica with high potency and a distinctly strong odor. The name is simply descriptive slang.

i know their the same plant, i meant one is much stronger and associated with a lot of the bad effects.

[devobtch]

 was used to examine white matter in the brains of 56 patients who had reported a first episode of psychosis at the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM), as well as 43 healthy participants from the local community.

so they studied people with this " first episode of psychosis" and are trying to blame pot on it

how bout study tokers against none tokers over 10-20 years and let us know what you find

skunk is cannabis fyi just no seeds so it is stronger but it is not any stronger than it was years ago

so don't believe the hype about it getting stronger its the same as it ever was

[DocM]

No, it isn't the same. Its a hybrid of two varieties with different characteristics from regular C. sativa. That's well documented. And psychosis findings similar to schizophrenia among cannibis users is not new, and the studies involve large numbers. 

[T3X4S]

I used to smoke, drink, snort - you name it - was pretty wild when younger.

Used to be considered pretty intelligent - tested among top 2% in IQ, all that crap...

Now Im just a lowly systems engineer who can't remember where I left my keys every morning.

Dont do drugs kids - or just do a little... or dont do the strong ones... or well - everything in moderation.... what was I talking about ?  Where the F am I ?