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Does marijuana affect your

Discussion in 'Apprentice Marijuana Consumption' started by Deplenish, Apr 22, 2012.

  1. What up guys. My psychology teacher claims that using marijuana at any point, didn't even say "chronic usage", affects our dopamine supply in our brain.

    She stated that dopamine is necessary for our "feel good emotions" and that using marijuana can permanently diminish our supply.

    I know this is true for certain drugs like meth, cocaine, heroin, etc ..but it is it true for marijuana? I smoke on weekends, friday and saturday, never during the week..so about 2/7 days.

    At the end she said, it gets to the point where a person MUST use marijuana to feel good otherwhys the person will be constantly irritated and unhappy.

    Is this true, don't be biased.. thanks
     















  2. i have smoked everyday just about with a few minior break's cause i was dry and i would say its true to a point no where near the amount of damage that meth forinstince cause's but i really feel i kinda need weed to be content. if i wake and bake i chase the high all day but if i dont smoke first thing i dont fiend really just feel tired like i need to wake up.

    bottem line's is it is true to a point but im sure there are plenty of other things that are legal that kill your dopamine- alchol...straight up kill's your brain after enough of it
     
  3. Probably true. Yeah.
     
  4. This guy ^^^^^^^^ has no idea what he's talking about,he just has a psychological dependancy that he cant seem to deal with
     
  5. Even if it is true it's not a huge problem. Don't feel good? Smoke more weed.
     

  6. Why are you in denial, and why are you arguing with science? Marijuana increases the amount of dopamine in your brain. Do the rest yourself.
     
  7. It may affect our dopamine levels a bit, but to my knowledge t doesn't mess with it really. Other drugs do what but cannabis really does is basically what some bodies cannot. Basically we were all born with endocannabinoids (spell check). All over our body, mostly our brain have these receptors that when marijuana is smoked the cannabinoids from the marijuana fit perfectly into the receptors. Basically the reason cannabis helps with so many brain disorders is due to the fact that the disorders may be a lack of endocannabinoids that our body reproduces naturally. So it helps regulate the chemical our body uses to help keep itself in check along wit helping out the immune system. I could be wrong on the dopamine aspect but I'm sure someone else will post in here *fingers crosses for granny*
     

  8. You just guessed.
     
  9. Heres the research on the topic I got it all off Grannys list.

    Overexpression of CB2 cannabinoid receptors results in neuroprotection against behavioral and neurochemical alterations induced by intracaudate administration of 6-hydroxydopamine.
    Overexpression of CB2 cannabinoid receptors ... [Neurobiol Aging. 2012] - PubMed - NCBI

    Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Induces Dopamine Release in the Human Striatum
    Neuropsychopharmacology - [Delta]9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Induces Dopamine Release in the Human Striatum
     

  10. I'm not a scientist, nor am i doctor, and neither are you. I'm not going to be 100% sure am i? I'm just a person on a weed forum. This guy obviously wants answers from guys on a weed forum. That was mine.
     
  11. I smoke only on weekends, just want to reiterate that point. So i go through monday- friday perfectly sober. Will i have a problem? I'm just worried about the whole dilemma where "i wont be able to get happy UNLESS i smoke"..i want to be naturally happy as well with the absence of marijuana. As long as I don't smoke chronically, will i be good? Not trying to be a bitch about it, but the whole idea terrifies me.
     

  12. Dude you'll be fine.
     

  13. I totally understand but you guessed and then replied to sk8njam with science. I'm probably taking this to seriously. :/
     

  14. Ive been toking since 14 years old now almost 21. only t-break i have taken was a two year toke break but that was due to family issues. Now im back to toking it up daily now I do not need to smoke to feel happy honestly I smoke due to medically reasons but everyones different. You give me a drink and I cannot stop drinking once I have that first one. Now I can stop smoking when ever I want as I have when theres no money and bills always come first. Never in my life did I have the feeling where I wasn't happy and needed weed to feel better. How ever it helps curve the symptoms of PTSD nicely.
     
  15. #15 Storm Crow, Apr 22, 2012
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 22, 2012
    OK for a start- CB1 receptors (the ones that THC activates to get you high), PROTECT the Nigrostriatal Dopaminergic Neurons against damage. When these neurons are damaged, there is a loss of dopamine- so it seems unlikely that something that protects the neurons that make dopamine, would damage the dopamine levels!

    Cannabinoid Receptor Type 1 Protects Nigrostriatal Dopaminergic Neurons against MPTP Neurotoxicity by Inhibiting Microglial Activation (abst – 2011)
    [FONT=&quot]Cannabinoid Receptor Type 1 Protects Nigrostriatal Dopaminergic Neurons against MPTP Neurotoxicity by Inhibiting Microglial Activation[/FONT]

    Conversely, treatment with nonselective cannabinoid receptor agonists (WIN55,212-2 and HU210) led to increased survival of DA neurons in the SN, their fibers and dopamine levels in the striatum, and improved motor function.

    And then there is CBD, cannabidiol, the #2 cannabinoid in cannabis. What does it do to dopamine levels? :confused_2:

    Effects on sleep and dopamine levels of microdialysis perfusion of cannabidiol into the lateral hypothalamus of rats. (abst – 2011) Effects on sleep and dopamine levels of microdialys... [Life Sci. 2011] - PubMed - NCBI

    (FYI - DA = Dopamine ; AcbC = nucleus accumbens, a part of the brain)


    KEY FINDINGS:

    We found that microdialysis perfusion of CBD (30, 60, or 90 nM) into LH of rat enhances alertness and suppresses sleep. This effect was accompanied with an increase in DA extracellular levels collected from the AcbC.

    Actually, the cannabinoid system and Dopaminergic Neurons in the brain work together to prevent the symptoms of Parkinson's disease. A drop in dopamine is always found in Parkinson's.

    [FONT=&quot]Cannabinoid–Dopamine Interaction in the Pathophysiology and Treatment of CNS Disorders (full – 2010) [/FONT][FONT=&quot]http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1755-5949.2010.00144.x/full[/FONT]

    Through this direct mechanism or through indirect mechanisms involving GABA or glutamate neurons, cannabinoids may interact with DA transmission in the CNS and this has an important influence in various DA-related neurobiological processes (e.g., control of movement, motivation/reward) and, particularly, on different pathologies affecting these processes like basal ganglia disorders, schizophrenia, and drug addiction.


    If you want more, click that first link in my sig, then hit "Edit" and put "dopamine" in the search box!

    Cannabis is DIFFERENT that other drugs! It mimics our own body's endocannabinoids, anandamide and 2-AG. These endocannabinoids are involved in just about everything your body does from killing cancer, to your digestive process, to how your brain works!

    Because cannabis "looks" like 2-AG and anandamide to your body, it can substitute THC and CBD for the endocannabinoids! This is why THC kills cancer, soothes your intestines and keeps you from being depressed! These are all jobs the endocannabinoids do- and THC can "fill in" for them! :hello:

    Please send me an email, hon! We need to send your teacher a copy of my List! I send it as a PDF, but I have it as a WORD doc if you ask for it! (Hotmail users get it in 2 parts- hotmail can't handle the List in one chunk- it's just too darn big!)

    Cannabis ignorance MUST be stopped by education! Get a copy of my List and you can be a "Ganja Guru" (or look like one ;) ) and show the world what cannabis really is! :smoke:

    Perhaps you need to do a paper on cannabis, the endocannabinoid system, and dopamine for your psych class! :rolleyes: (Ain't much better than teachin' the teacher! :devious: )


    Granny :wave:
     
  16. a little more! lol

    At the end she said, it gets to the point where a person MUST use marijuana to feel good otherwhys the person will be constantly irritated and unhappy.


    The Merck Manual does not agree. They say the "grumpies" are part of the "withdrawal" process and lasts about a week- tops!


    Withdrawal: Cessation after 2 to 3 wk of frequent, heavy use can cause a mild withdrawal syndrome, which typically begins about 12 h after the last use. Symptoms consist of insomnia, irritability, depression, nausea, and anorexia; symptoms peak at 2 to 3 days and last up to 7 days.

    "Up to 7 days" is hardly forever! lol!

    Merck Manual - Marijuana (Cannabis) (excerpt - 2008)
    http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/sec23/ch352/ch352i.html?qt=marijuana&***=sh


    Granny
     
  17. diminish the supply of dopamine. <------ fear based "fact or fiction"
    have fun!!! that's all there is to life!!
     
  18. No, it doesn't change our dopamine levels. Thats bullshit. Thats what other hard drugs do. I would have to research exactly how cannabis alters the chemicals in our brain, but I learned about this shit earlier this year and I'm 80% sure it doesnt effect our dopamine or serotoin levels.

    Supposedly it is a mild hallucinogenic. But I disagree.
     
  19. I already have asperger's, so I have a much lower dopamine level than most people, so idgaf :D
     

  20. how am i in denial?? and btw i was pointing at the dude above you, not you...we happened to post near the same times...im not denying that it changes your brain, but the guy above was saying that ITS TRUE because of his uncontrollable mental addiction...

    context clues man
     

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