Researchers have long suggested marijuana can cause memory loss. Now, a new study by Dr. Giovanni Marsicano, of the University of Bordeaux in France, her and team which was published in the journal Nature, provides insight on this association, revealing how cannabinoids in the drug activate receptors in the mitochondria of the brain's memory center to cause amnesia.
Cannabinoids are chemicals present in marijuana, as well as synthetic forms of the drug. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), there are more than 100 cannabinoids in marijuana, including the main psychoactive compound delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). These cannabinoids are similar in structure to cannabinoids that occur in the body naturally. Naturally occurring cannabinoids function as neurotransmitters. They send signals between neurons, which are nerve cells and affect various brain regions, including those responsible for emotion, movement, coordination, sensory perception, and memory and thinking.
Because THC and other cannabinoids in marijuana are
similar to naturally occurring cannabinoids, they are able to bind to cannabinoid receptors situated on neurons and activate
certain brain regions. This can lead to cannabinoids messing up normal brain
functioning, by causing a lot of negative mental and physical effects. One
effect may be memory loss. Researchers have shown that THC can affect the
function of the hippocampus, the brain region responsible for forming memories.
Works Cited:
Whiteman, Honnor. "How Marijuana Causes Memory Loss." Medical News Today. MediLexicon International, 12 Nov. 2016. Web. 13 Nov. 2016.
Image Credit:
http://gnosticwarrior.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Secrets-of-the-Pyramid-Hippocampus-Drawing-www.macalester.edu_.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e9/THC-3D-%28with-cannabis-leaf-bkg%29.jpg
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