Sunday, January 13, 2008

Great news for all of us!!

Study shows marijuana increases brain cell growth

ST. JOHN’S, Nfld — Supporters of marijuana may finally have an excuse to smoke weed every day. A recent study in the Journal of Clinical Investigation suggests that smoking pot can make the brain grow. Neuropsychiatrist Xia Zhang and a team of researchers study how marijuana-like drugs — known collectively as cannabinoids — act on the brain.

The team tested the effects of HU-210, a potent synthetic cannabinoid similar to a group of compounds found in marijuana. The synthetic version is about 100 times as powerful as THC, the high-inducing compound loved by recreational users. The researchers found that rats treated with HU-210 on a regular basis showed neurogenesis — the growth of new brain cells in the hippocampus. A current hypothesis suggests depression may be triggered when the hippocampus grows insufficient numbers of new brain cells. If true, HU-210 could offer a treatment for such mood disorders by stimulating this growth. Whether this is true for all cannabinoids remains unclear, as HU-210 is only one of many and the HU-210 in the study is highly purified.

. . .

Still, the positive aspects of marijuana are becoming more plentiful as further research is done. McKim says it’s not surprising that THC and compounds like it could have medicinal effects."

From the friendly Canucks at Simon Fraser University


God I love Canadians. What other nation would bring me a scientific study telling me that it's okay to smoke more weed, and that in fact all this ganj is making my brain bigger! "But officer, haven't you heard? This stuff is making me smarter!!" Seriously, this is awesome news for folks like me. I can' t wait until my buddy J-Dawg gets here so I can engage in some healthy neurogenesis. Gotta love the first line of the article - FINALLY - an "excuse" to smoke weed every day!!

Toke away folks - it's only making your hippocampus larger.

No comments: