Heavy cannabis use associated with reduced dopamine release in brain

Marijuana plant (inventory picture). Proof of a compromised dopamine system has been present in heavy customers of marijuana.
Credit score: © Vasily Merkushev / Fotolia
In a current examine, researchers discovered proof of a compromised dopamine system in heavy customers of marijuana. Decrease dopamine launch was discovered within the striatum -- a area of the mind that's concerned in working reminiscence, impulsive habits, and a focus. Earlier research have proven that habit to different medicine of abuse, similar to cocaine and heroin, have comparable results on dopamine launch, however such proof for hashish was lacking till now.
"In mild of the extra widespread acceptance and use of marijuana, particularly by younger individuals, we consider you will need to look extra carefully on the doubtlessly addictive results of hashish on key areas of the mind," mentioned Anissa Abi-Dargham, MD, professor of psychiatry (in radiology) at Columbia College Medical Heart (CUMC) and a lead writer of the paper.
The examine included 11 adults between the ages of 21 and 40 who have been severely depending on hashish and 12 matched wholesome controls. On common, the hashish group began utilizing at age 16, turned depending on hashish by age 20, and have been dependent for the previous 7 years. Within the month previous to the examine, practically all customers on this examine smoked marijuana each day.
Utilizing positron emission tomography (PET) to trace a radiolabelled molecule that binds to dopamine receptors within the mind, the scientists measured dopamine launch within the striatum and its subregions, in addition to in a number of mind areas outdoors the striatum, together with the thalamus, midbrain, and globus pallidus. The hashish customers on this examine stayed within the hospital for per week of abstinence to make sure that the PET scans weren't measuring the acute results of the drug. Individuals have been scanned earlier than and after being given oral amphetamine to elicit dopamine launch. The p.c change within the binding of the radiotracer was taken as an indicator of capability for dopamine launch.
In contrast with the controls, the hashish customers had considerably decrease dopamine launch within the striatum, together with subregions concerned in associative and sensorimotor studying, and within the globus pallidus.
The investigators additionally explored the connection between dopamine launch in a key space of the striatum and cognitive efficiency on studying and dealing reminiscence duties. Though there was no distinction between teams in job efficiency, in all members decrease dopamine launch was related to worse efficiency on each duties.
"We do not know whether or not decreased dopamine was a preexisting situation or the results of heavy hashish use," mentioned Dr. Abi-Dargham. "However the backside line is that long-term, heavy hashish use could impair the dopaminergic system, which might have a wide range of detrimental results on studying and habits."
Jeffrey Lieberman, MD, Chair of Psychiatry at CUMC and previous president of the American Psychiatric Affiliation, famous that "these findings add to the rising physique of analysis demonstrating the doubtless adversarial results of hashish, significantly in youth, on the identical time that authorities insurance policies and legal guidelines are growing entry and use."



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