Smoking Marijuana Leads to Memory Loss in lab rats! - GoFuckYourself.com

Brad Mitchell · 09-25-2003, 11:27 AM

Old article... sure... but it's a fun one.

Natural high helps banish bad memories
http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99992616
19:00 31 July 02

The body's own versions of the active ingredient of cannabis could help extinguish unwanted memories, work in mice suggests.

Marijuana has been used medicinally for thousands of years, and people with certain psychiatric conditions such as schizophrenia are more likely to smoke pot than healthy people.

The active chemical in marijuana, tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, binds to the brain's cannabinoid receptors, which are known to be linked to pain sensations, emotion and movement. And in the past decade, researchers have identified chemicals made within the brain that are similar to THC.

Now Beat Lutz at the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry in Munich and his team have found that these cannabinoids play an important role in getting rid of unwanted memories in mice. The finding could lead to new treatments for people who have related mental conditions. "We could understand the problem of phobia or post-traumatic stress disorder by investigation of this cannabinoid system," says Lutz.

Neuroscientist Daniele Piomelli at the University of California, Irvine, says: "It's an important paper. It's going to have a big impact in the field."

Freezing with fear

The researchers genetically engineered mice so that they lacked a particular type of cannabinoid receptor called CB1. These are normally found in the amygdala, a brain region associated with fear.

They then conditioned the mice, as well as their normal litter mates, to associate a particular musical tone with an electric shock. Both groups of mice quickly learned the association, freezing with fear whenever they heard the tone. A week later, the mice were repeatedly exposed to tones but without the associated electric shock. The normal mice soon shed their fear response, but the modified mice still showed fear 11 days later.

The researchers found that the modified mice eventually suppressed the bad memories, but it took them about six times longer than the normal mice. Lutz's group also showed that blocking CB1 receptors in the normal mice meant they were unable to stamp out the negative association.

New treatments

The team later studied the mice's amygdalae, and confirmed that animals who were now unlearning the unpleasant association had significantly higher levels of two major cannabinoids - anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol - than those who'd never been trained.

This suggests that these chemicals help wipe out bad memories by binding to CB1 receptors.

The findings give a new lead for research into treatments for conditions such as phobia and post-traumatic stress disorder. But Lutz points out that marijuana itself is too blunt an instrument to be a potential treatment, because it activates all the brain's cannabinoid receptors at once.

ATL_Ryan · 09-25-2003, 11:40 AM

I am not a Lab Rat

sperbonzo · 09-25-2003, 11:48 AM

What was that? I can't remember what I just read...

J-Reel · 09-25-2003, 11:50 AM

I did that same expirement on my dog. He didn't remember anything either.

NBDesign · 09-25-2003, 11:50 AM

I was gonna say something... but I forgot what it was.

SleazyDream · 09-25-2003, 11:51 AM

good news if you smoke to forget

lock · 09-25-2003, 11:54 AM

keep rat bait around the bowl now trained addicted rats are coming to get your mix.

Shok · 09-25-2003, 12:00 PM

That's why I get my rats high before I molest them, they never narc

Yngwie · 09-25-2003, 12:02 PM

I guess they learned 1 thing with this experiment.. well 2 things..

1. Weed kills braincelss in rats
2. they waste money getting weed for the rats when they could have smoked it themselves

Why do they test this with humans instead of rats? what is testing it on rats gonna prove? After all, testing thin on humans will give you a better idea plus Im sure there are a lot of people out there that wouldnt mind getting free smoke LOL

NBDesign · 09-25-2003, 12:02 PM

and studies also show that the loss is temporary... it all comes back once you stop...

Naked News did this story a while back.... a long while back....

Shok · 09-25-2003, 12:02 PM

Platinum Dave · 09-25-2003, 12:03 PM

C_U_Next_Tuesday · 09-25-2003, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SleazyDream
good news if you smoke to forget

I was thinking the same thing

zzgundamnzz · 09-25-2003, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Shok

09-25-2003, 11:27 AM	#1
Brad Mitchell Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Southfield, MI Posts: 9,812	Smoking Marijuana Leads to Memory Loss in lab rats! Old article... sure... but it's a fun one. Natural high helps banish bad memories http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99992616 19:00 31 July 02 The body's own versions of the active ingredient of cannabis could help extinguish unwanted memories, work in mice suggests. Marijuana has been used medicinally for thousands of years, and people with certain psychiatric conditions such as schizophrenia are more likely to smoke pot than healthy people. The active chemical in marijuana, tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, binds to the brain's cannabinoid receptors, which are known to be linked to pain sensations, emotion and movement. And in the past decade, researchers have identified chemicals made within the brain that are similar to THC. Now Beat Lutz at the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry in Munich and his team have found that these cannabinoids play an important role in getting rid of unwanted memories in mice. The finding could lead to new treatments for people who have related mental conditions. "We could understand the problem of phobia or post-traumatic stress disorder by investigation of this cannabinoid system," says Lutz. Neuroscientist Daniele Piomelli at the University of California, Irvine, says: "It's an important paper. It's going to have a big impact in the field." Freezing with fear The researchers genetically engineered mice so that they lacked a particular type of cannabinoid receptor called CB1. These are normally found in the amygdala, a brain region associated with fear. They then conditioned the mice, as well as their normal litter mates, to associate a particular musical tone with an electric shock. Both groups of mice quickly learned the association, freezing with fear whenever they heard the tone. A week later, the mice were repeatedly exposed to tones but without the associated electric shock. The normal mice soon shed their fear response, but the modified mice still showed fear 11 days later. The researchers found that the modified mice eventually suppressed the bad memories, but it took them about six times longer than the normal mice. Lutz's group also showed that blocking CB1 receptors in the normal mice meant they were unable to stamp out the negative association. New treatments The team later studied the mice's amygdalae, and confirmed that animals who were now unlearning the unpleasant association had significantly higher levels of two major cannabinoids - anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol - than those who'd never been trained. This suggests that these chemicals help wipe out bad memories by binding to CB1 receptors. The findings give a new lead for research into treatments for conditions such as phobia and post-traumatic stress disorder. But Lutz points out that marijuana itself is too blunt an instrument to be a potential treatment, because it activates all the brain's cannabinoid receptors at once. __________________ President at MojoHost \| brad at mojohost dot com \| Skype MojoHostBrad 71 industry awards for hosting and professional excellence since 1999

09-25-2003, 11:50 AM	#4
J-Reel Confirmed User Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Boneprone's guest house Posts: 3,782	I did that same expirement on my dog. He didn't remember anything either. __________________ Scheck out the new girls at www.hawtmoney.com ICQ 177-447-671

09-25-2003, 11:50 AM	#5
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09-25-2003, 11:51 AM	#6
SleazyDream I'm here for SPORT Industry Role: Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Phone # (401) 285-0696 Posts: 41,470	good news if you smoke to forget __________________ This dog, is dog, a dog, good dog, way dog, to dog, keep dog, an dog, idiot dog, busy dog, for dog, 20 dog, seconds dog! Now read without the word dog.

09-25-2003, 11:54 AM	#7
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09-25-2003, 11:40 AM	#2
ATL_Ryan Confirmed User Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 1,519	I am not a Lab Rat

09-25-2003, 11:48 AM	#3
sperbonzo I'd rather be on my boat. Industry Role: Join Date: May 2003 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 9,748	What was that? I can't remember what I just read...

09-25-2003, 12:00 PM	#8
Shok Confirmed User Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: LIVE EVIL Posts: 5,611	That's why I get my rats high before I molest them, they never narc

09-25-2003, 12:02 PM	#9
Yngwie I am an Alien from space Industry Role: Join Date: May 2003 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 11,118	I guess they learned 1 thing with this experiment.. well 2 things.. 1. Weed kills braincelss in rats 2. they waste money getting weed for the rats when they could have smoked it themselves Why do they test this with humans instead of rats? what is testing it on rats gonna prove? After all, testing thin on humans will give you a better idea plus Im sure there are a lot of people out there that wouldnt mind getting free smoke LOL __________________ ICQ: 16544251 - Skype: gator37 @ eastlink.ca - email: yngwie @ isys.ca

09-25-2003, 12:03 PM	#12
Platinum Dave Confirmed User Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Toronto Posts: 2,441	Hey __________________ Check out Adult Rental - Only Pay Per Signup VOD!