24/10/2007 00:00:00
Smoking pot can have antidepressant effect at low doses: study
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A component of cannabis in small doses can act as a powerful
antidepressant, but too much of the drug can cause the polar opposite
effect, finds a study released Wednesday.
The study, published in the Oct. 24 issue of the Journal of
Neuroscience, was conducted jointly by McGill University and a research
institute affiliated with the University of Montreal.
It finds that a form of THC, the active ingredient in cannabis or
marijuana, increased serotonin levels in the brains of laboratory rats
when given in low doses. The depletion of serotonin, a neurotransmitter
that controls moods, leads to depression and in some cases psychosis.
Anti-depression medications work by increasing the amount of serotonin
in the brain.
However, when the doses were increased in the rats, the effect was
described as completely reversed.
McGill researcher Francis Bambico said the study seems to support
anecdotal evidence that human smokers of marijuana experience positive
effects, but they also experience unwanted effects like anxiety and
agitation.
http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2007/10/24/cannabis-study.html
Source:
http://www.ukcia.org/news/shownewsarticle.php?articleid=12941
Author:
CBC News via UKCIA
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