Relationship Between Marijuana and Restoring Memory
Marijuana is probably one of the most discussed plants in the entire world in modern day society. While some claim the plant to beneficial to the human body, others claim that it should be considered a recreational drug with adverse effects and nothing more. The truth, however, is that several medical studies have been conducted on the medical properties that the Marijuana plant species possess, and these studies have provided evidence that the plant holds a lot of potential to the healthcare industry, providing a natural approach to treating a large number of disorders – including both physiological and psychological disorders. For some people, marijuana plants are now even considered a life-saver especially restoring memory.
The benefits of the cannabinoids found in the Marijuana plant has been well documented on numerous occasions and can be found virtually anywhere – on the internet, in local newspapers, in magazines and even in books. As the use of plant becomes legal for medicinal use in more states, millions of people are flocking to their local health supply stores to get their hands on this miracle from Mother Nature. Recently, new evidence has risen, once again, to prove that marijuana has the potential to provide a significant improvement in the quality-of-life experienced by older individuals suffering from memory-related problems.
In this post, we will take a closer look at the Marijuana plant, what cannabinoids it holds, the benefits that the plant has for the human body, consider the risk factors associated with the plant and, of course, also dig a little deeper into this new study that has provided more proof that Marijuana may be something that can truly benefit the human population and complement the healthcare systems throughout the world.
A Quick Overview Of The Marijuana Plant And Cannabinoids
Marijuana is a plant that has a history dating back to ancient times. In the modern world, the plant is often referred to as “weed”, “ganja”, “pot” and “Mary Jane”. The scientific name for the Marijuana plant is Cannabis sativa. These plants produce cannabinoids, a range of natural chemicals that are only found in plants of the Cannabis sativa species. Over 100 different types of cannabinoids are found in these plants. While some of the cannabinoids are only found in extremely low doses, other cannabinoids are more abundant in these plants. Many people and companies have also started their own strains of the marijuana, or Cannabis sativa, plant, in order to achieve a specific ratio of the primary cannabinoids that exist within these plants.
When the term Marijuana is described, it is vital to understand that the definition provided will depend on the person who is describing the plant. There are two very common definitions provided to the term “Marijuana” – let’s take a look at each of them:
- The most common referral made to the word “Marijuana” is drug abuse. Marijuana contains a specific type of cannabinoid that is called THC, or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol. It should be noted that, in pure Marijuana, this compound is found in the form of an acid; thus referred to as delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol acid, as reported by Leafly. THC is the compound known to cause the psychoactive compounds that Marijuana causes. This is why millions of people use Marijuana as a recreational drug. According to MedicineNet.com, Marijuana is considered the most commonly abused illegal drug in the entire world.
- For many people, Marijuana is not a recreational drug, but rather a medicinal plant. In such a case, the plant may be referred to as medical Marijuana or medical Cannabis.
The Benefits Of Cannabinoids Extracted From The Marijuana Plant
Marijuana has been associated with a great number of medicinal properties that have helped millions of people overcome the side-effects of some medication, as well as assist with the treatment of certain diseases – and even some of the more common health concerns. To better understand the benefits of the Marijuana plant, we have to look at the cannabinoids produced by these plants. Two particular cannabinoids found in the Marijuana plant are more abundant than others are also holds a more significant number of research studies to back up their benefits for the human body.
Benefits Of Cannabidiol (CBD)
When it comes to the utilization of Marijuana for its medicinal properties, the most common cannabinoid referenced would be cannabidiol, also called CBD. These products can be found in many locations as there is a large number of countries that consider the use of products that contain a high-level CBD concentration and an extremely low level of THC concentration, if any, legal. CBD has quite a large number of studies to back up its benefits and is used by millions of people.
According to Organic Facts, some of the most important benefits of cannabidiol to know about include:
- The compound is known to assist with relieving stress levels and reducing the symptoms of anxiety disorders.
- People who take CBD-enriched products often report sleeping much better.
- CBD is also known to stimulate appetite, which is beneficial for individuals who are underweight and suffers from a poor appetite.
- The compound has also been scientifically proven to possess potent anti-inflammatory properties and to assist with reducing levels of pain. CBD is also effective when used to treat headaches.
- CBD oil and other products that contain this type of cannabinoid may help to reduce the risk of developing cancer. Some studies have also reported that cannabidiol may help to reduce the size of a tumor, which can be useful in the treatment of cancer as well.
- Heart and skin health can also be improved significantly through the regular use of cannabidiol products.
Benefits Of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)
THC is the other abundant cannabinoid found in the Marijuana plant, and is the compound most often associated with the psychoactive effects that a person experiences when they smoke “weed” or eat a “weed brownie”. Even though the psychoactive effects of the compound are very well-known, it is important to realize that THC also holds many health benefits.
According to AllBud, some of the top benefits offered by THC, or Tetrahydrocannabinol, include:
- The compound has been shown to kill cancerous cells in the human body, which makes THC an effective compound in the treatment of cancer.
- THC can also be used to reduce inflammation throughout the body, as well as to assist with alleviating pain.
- THC is commonly used to assist with treating nausea and vomiting. This is often why patients undergoing cancer treatment opt for THC oils and other products that contain this substance, as nausea and vomiting are two common side-effects of cancer treatment options.
- THC has also shown promising results when tested in the treatment of certain mental disorders, including addiction, anxiety disorders, and depression.
- THC may also assist with reducing the symptoms of gastrointestinal problems, including stomach spasms, discomfort, and pain.
Findings Of Some Studies Connecting Marijuana To Restoring Memory
We have discussed the primary medical uses of Marijuana and the particular benefits that the plant has to offer a user. Now we would like to turn our focus toward a study published in the Nature Journal. The study describes findings of the scientific study conducted by a group of scientists, which evaluated the effects that the administration of low THC doses had on the cognitive functionality and overall brain health in a group of old mice. The findings described in this study looks quite promising and has opened up a new opportunity for additional research to be done on human subjects, and may possibly lay a new pathway for the development of more effective approaches to treating and preventing age-related cognitive decline.
The scientists behind the study explain that it is already well-known that THC has important interactions with the receptors found in the endocannabinoid system within the brain. The endocannabinoid system in the brain, in turn, has a key role to play in several functions, including the reception of pain, the regulation of mood and appetite, and overall memory function.
They continue to explain that it is also already known that this particular endocannabinoid system’s activity tends to slow down as a person ages, yet it plays an important part in their brain function – thus, by supplementing the patient’s body with THC to elevate the activity of the endocannabinoid system in the brain, improvements in age-related cognitive decline may be observed – the purpose of the study was to confirm whether this statement was true or not.
Three different groups of mice were chosen to participate in this scientific study. One group consisted of mice aged around two months, while the other two were formed with mice aged one-year and 18 months. The mice in the one-year group were considered mature, while those mice in the 18-month group were considered to be of old age.
The study consisted of three different tasks, which each of the mice had to go through. Some mice were given low doses of the cannabinoid THC, while others were not given this particular cannabinoid supplement. At the end of the study, they found that the THC supplementation had a remarkable positive impact on the memory and brain function of the mice that were included in the mature and old-age groups. The same effects were not observed amongst younger mice, however.
After doing more research in order to find out how exactly it is that the brain function of older mice was improved with the administration of low TCH doses, the scientific team discovered that the gene transcription patterns located in the hippocampus of the older and mature mice were restored. These patterns represented activities within the brain that plays a crucial part in both learning abilities and memory function.
What this means is that Marijuana does not only pose as an effective way to assist with restoring memory of the elderly but might also help to reverse the cognitive decline older individuals have already undergone. It is important to take into note that this study was conducted on a group of laboratory mice and not yet on human subjects, but the evidence gained here provides an opportunity for future studies to be performed on human subjects in order to see whether Marijuana may be a possible option to be used as a more effective approach to reversing damage to the hippocampus in the elderly, and possibly restoring memory function.
Final Words
Even though the Marijuana plant is being frowned upon by many, mostly due to the psychoactive properties it possesses, numerous scientific studies have provided evidence that this plant should be playing a key role in the healthcare system. The cannabinoids found in the Marijuana plant has been associated with improvements in both physical and mental health concerns, and may even hold the potential to provide an effective method to treat certain chronic diseases. A new study has also shown how the utilization of low THC doses may assist with improving hippocampus function and restore memory-related problems amongst older individuals. Here, we have taken a closer look at these new findings and discussed the Marijuana plant in more details.
Ieva Kubiliute is a psychologist and a sex and relationships advisor and a freelance writer. She’s also a consultant to several health and wellness brands. While Ieva specialises in covering wellness topics ranging from fitness and nutrition, to mental wellbeing, sex and relationships and health conditions, she has written across a diverse range of lifestyle topics, including beauty and travel. Career highlights so far include: luxury spa-hopping in Spain and joining an £18k-a-year London gym. Someone’s got to do it!
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