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Even with several U.S. states already legalizing marijuana in varying levels, there is still much debate about the supposed dangers and effects of cannabis. New research has yielded some interesting results pertaining to this case. Scientists built the most accurate 3D model of the brain’s receptors that are most responsible for the high that users get from the plant. Another study also found that instead of encouraging substance abuse, marijuana use could actually help combat addiction.
UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers built a 3D structure of the receptors in the brain that are responsible for binding with the chemicals found in cannabis that produces its signature high, and it is the most detailed one to date, MedicalXpress reports. The chemical in question is the tetrahydrocannabinol and the brain receptor that binds to it are the cannabinoid receptor 1.
By creating a 3D model of how these two factors interact and affect the brain’s chemistry, it becomes easier to understand the effects of marijuana on humans. More than that, looking into the receptors and the chemical’s effects on them also has potential benefits for other health issues according to the project’s lead Dr. Daniel Rosenbaum.
"What is most exciting from a therapeutic standpoint is that the same receptor pocket that binds THC also binds cannabinoid inhibitors that have been studied as possible treatments for conditions such as obesity," Dr. Rosenbaum said.
In related news, researchers submitted a paper to the Clinical Psychology Review suggesting that consumption of cannabis has potential benefits in combatting substance abuse, Medical News Today reports. The study was led by associate professor of psychology, Zach Walsh, from the University of British Columbia in Canada.
According to the study, cannabis can actually be an effective “Exit Drug” as opposed to the “Entry Drug” that it has always been viewed as. It can also have benefits related to mental illnesses, including PTSD and Alzheimer’s.
