Many countries have decriminalized marijuana and made simple possession a non-criminal offense by legalizing recreational cannabis use. Canada, Georgia, Malta, Mexico, South Africa, Thailand, and Uruguay are among the nations that have legalized marijuana, along with 21 states, 3 territories, the District of Columbia, and Australia’s Australian Capital Territory. [1]
It is essential that we understand how the active components of cannabis interact with our bodies and minds and evaluate the risks and potential benefits of its use as the legalization of marijuana gains more and more support on a global scale.
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter produced in the brain (substantia nigra, ventral tegmental area, and hypothalamus) that is continuously transmitted from neuron to neuron and acts as a chemical messenger for messages between nerve cells. Dopamine plays a role in many cognitive and motor functions, such as reward-motivated behaviour, memory formation, and muscle movement. Dopamine regulates many behavioural functions (attention, sleep, mood, learning, pleasure) and physical functions (heart rate, kidney function, pain processing, blood vessel function). Dopamine imbalances can result in a number of health issues.
Too much dopamine can cause poor compulsive or impulsive control, which can result in behaviours like aggression, competitiveness, addiction, ADHD, gambling, and binge eating. On the other hand, dopamine deficiency can contribute to memory issues, Parkinson’s disease, low motivation, clinical depression, fatigue, moodiness, and concentration issues. Therefore, it is critical for dopamine levels to be properly balanced for well-being.
Dopamine is released throughout the brain and is regulated by two other neurotransmitters: glutamate and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). [2] Dopamine release decreases when GABA levels are high. Dopamine release increases when glutamate levels are high.
According to research, marijuana and its active ingredients can influence the amount of dopamine released in specific areas of the brain. The medial temporal, frontal cortex, cerebellum, temporal lobe, superior temporal gyrus, and fusiform gyrus of chronic cannabis users have significant neuroanatomic changes.
^ the orbitofrontal cortex, has shrunk in cannabis users. Connections passing through it are also stronger and thicker. This is not present in the non-smokers brain scans.
^three-dimensional MRI-based brain scans comparing non-smokers brains (control group) and the brains of adults who smoke weed often. [3]
Marijuana is the most popular illegal drug. Cannabis is used on a regular basis by an estimated 150–200 million people. Heavy cannabis use has been linked to executive functioning, learning, and memory impairments, as well as an increased risk of mental disorders such as psychosis, depression, suicidality, and amotivation. Marijuana alters dopamine levels in the brain, but its effect is more complex than cocaine’s, which directly overloads the brain, resulting in a surge of pleasure and energy.
Two key components of marijuana are worth mentioning in relation to dopamine levels: cannabidiol (CBD) and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
CBD is derived from hemp, a strain of the Cannabis sativa plant that contains very little THC. Although its effects are different from those of THC, CBD appears to have an impact on some brain chemicals. Since CBD appears to increase a person’s body’s natural cannabinoid and cannabinoid receptor activity with a variety of low-grade effects, it cannot make you high.
A prescription form of CBD can treat conditions such as seizure disorders, anxiety, pain, dystonia (a muscle disorder), Parkinson’s disease, and Crohn’s disease. [4]
Through CB1 antagonism, CBD can mitigate the effects of THC and protect the brain from damage. These damages include dose-dependent behavioural and cognitive symptoms of psychosis as well as dose-dependent grey matter volume reductions. [5]
Because of the high concentration of THC currently found in oral and vaping cannabis products, THC has sparked growing concern in the addiction medicine community. Furthermore, severe respiratory problems and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) have been reported in cannabis product users.[5]
THC is psychoactive and can cause euphoria due to its effect on dopamine neurons as it has been linked to the rewarding aspects of cannabis. THC mimics anandamide (a fatty acid neurotransmitter), limiting GABAergic activity and causing an indirect dopaminergic effect. This means that serotonin and dopamine levels will rise in areas of the brain associated with pleasure, reward, memory, and other functions, such as the ventral striatum, hippocampus, substantia nigra, and medial prefrontal cortex.
When dopamine levels rise as a result of THC’s effects, it can lead to feelings of pleasure, satisfaction, and accomplishment. However, if dopamine levels in your system remain too high for too long, your body will close off some dopamine receptors for a period of time after your high has worn off. This reduces dopamine synthesis in your body, dulling the pleasure you would normally feel from other aspects of your life such as food, physical contact, hobbies, and a sense of achievement.
This dissatisfaction with other activities is a common symptom of heavy marijuana users and those who abuse other drugs such as opioids or amphetamines.
It has been discovered that frequent heavy marijuana use causes the body to gradually restrict the release of dopamine. A person will tend to consume more marijuana in order to experience the same level of high or one that is even stronger than before, which is what forms the basis of an addiction. Simply put, more drugs would be required to produce the same effects as before as the drug slowly builds up a tolerance in the brain.
Fortunately, it is thought that with enough time (12-14 months with improvements seen in the first 3 months) and sobriety, the body and brain can heal and return dopamine activity to normal.
According to research, it may be possible to “induce dopamine homeostasis,” or to restore dopamine function by upregulating dopamine and normalize behaviour in chronic cannabis users who have depression and cognitive decline brought on by cannabis use. Studies in psychology, neurobiology, anatomy, genetics, and epigenetics may also yield data that can be used to support the creation of a suitable policy for the decriminalization of cannabis use for recreational purposes.
Reference:
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