Studies note that early marijuana use can interrupt the normal development of gray matter, a type of brain tissue that helps control mental functions, increasing schizophrenia risks. Early exposure to marijuana is also linked to changes in areas of the brain that are often connected with psychosis.
Using pot heavily, especially in your teen years, may leave more permanent effects. Imaging tests found that some adolescents who used marijuana had fewer connections in parts of the brain linked to alertness, learning, and memory. Tests also show lower IQ scores in some people.
Long-term lung effects
Marijuana smoke can inflame and irritate your lungs. If you use it often, you may have the identical respiratory problems as a person who smokes cigarettes. You may additionally have ongoing coughing with coloured mucus, and your lungs might also extra easily pick up infections. This may be because THC can weaken your immune gadget.
Heart attack risk
Cannabis makes your coronary heart work tougher. Normally, it beats about 50-70 times a minute. But that could leap to 70-120 beats or greater in step with minute for 3 hours after the effects of THC kick in. The delivered stress, plus tar and different chemical substances which can be often present in weed, may also increase your danger of having a coronary heart assault or stroke. The hazard is greater in case you’re older or if you already have coronary heart troubles.
Periodontal (gum) disease
Smoking and vaping tobacco can motive bacteria to develop under your gums, which can cause this circumstance. Frequent marijuana use causes the equal bad effects. Periodontal sickness does not just reason tooth loss but has additionally been linked to many different fitness problems, which includes coronary heart disorder and preterm hard work.
Marijuana and fertility
If you or your companion are looking to have a toddler, doctors endorse which you each forestall the usage of marijuana. Some studies shows that it is able to affect both male and girl fertility, however lots extra studies desires to be accomplished.
Marijuana and cancer
Regular use may raise your risk of cancers in your lungs, head, and neck, but more research is needed. Limited evidence suggests that heavy cannabis use may lead to one type of testicular cancer. And there’s not yet enough information on whether it may lead to other cancers, including:
-Prostate
-Cervical
-Bladder
Understanding THC and CBD interaction
Our mind has a tremendous network called the endocannabinoid machine (ECS), which stands as one of the fundamental neural modulators in our worried machine. This system responds to two primary compounds in marijuana: THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol).
These compounds work differently in your brain:
THC acts as a partial agonist at CB1 receptors and affects areas that control memory, emotion, and movement
CBD works in more complex ways by reducing neurotransmitter reuptake and acting on multiple receptor systems
Neurotransmitter changes
Marijuana disrupts our brain’s communication system in intricate ways. THC enters the brain and influences how neurotransmitters are released. Here’s what it does:
-Glutamate release – THC can increase VGLUT1 in the medial prefrontal cortex
-GABA circuits – These make up nearly three-quarters of brain CB1 receptors
-Dopamine function – THC can change reward processing in the striatum
Blood-brain barrier effects
The blood-brain barrier (BBB) shows one of the most important ways marijuana affects our brain. This barrier acts like our brain’s security system. It protects against harmful substances while letting beneficial compounds pass through.
CBD shows remarkable effects on BBB function. My research shows it can:
-Protect BBB integrity during inflammatory conditions
-Reduce barrier alterations in experimental diabetes
-Improve membrane integrity through tight junction proteins
These findings matter greatly for medical applications. CBD’s protective effects on the BBB can last up to two hours after administration. This suggests we could use it to treat various neurological conditions.
The fascinating part is that THC mainly affects CB1 receptors in the brain, while CBD works through multiple pathways, including PPARγ and 5-HT1A receptors. This explains why different marijuana strains can affect brain function in such varied ways.