2024-03-24 21:55:23
Recent research shows that it is the biochemical activation of a group of neurons involved in appetite regulation that is responsible for the cravings caused by cannabis consumption.
The psychotropic effects of cannabis are due to its high cannabinoid content, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in particular, which leads to euphoric effects, disinhibition and a feeling of well-being.
The nature and intensity of these psychotropic effects can vary considerably from person to person, but they are all a consequence of THC’s interaction with naturally occurring receptors in the brain that utilize endogenous cannabinoids (endocannabinoids). ) as neurotransmitters.
When consuming cannabis, the absorption of a high amount of THC causes an overstimulation of these receptors and the resulting disruption of signals is responsible for the characteristic effects of the drug.
Appetite management
The biological role of the endocannabinoid system obviously goes well beyond its participation in the psychoactive effects of cannabis.
In practice, it is a basic physiological mechanism which appeared very early in the evolution of animal life (around 400 million years ago) and whose main function is to ensure the control of metabolism, especially everything related to food consumption (appetite stimulation) and calorie storage.
This important role of endocannabinoids in controlling appetite also explains why cannabis consumption is generally associated with a notable increase in hunger (the famous cravings) in people who have consumed the drug.
Appetite neurons
Curiously, even though this phenomenon of cravings has been known for millennia, it is only with the results of a recent study that we now better understand the mechanisms involved in this stimulation of appetite. (1)
In this study, researchers exposed rodents to cannabis vapor and used calcium imaging technology (similar to a brain MRI) to determine which brain cells had activity altered by cannabis.
They observed that cannabis specifically activated a group of cells located in the hypothalamus, namely the neurons which produce a neuropeptide called AgRP, involved in the regulation of appetite.
The contribution of these neurons to the orexic (appetite-stimulating) effects of cannabis seems very important, because the injection of a virus that specifically inactivates these cells completely abolishes the increase in appetite caused by cannabis.
In addition to solving an old mystery, these results might also prove useful for better understanding certain metabolic disorders.
We know that imbalances in endocannabinoid receptors located in the hypothalamus are involved in various eating disorders (obesity, anorexia, bulimia).
The identification of the neurobiochemical mechanisms stimulated by cannabis in the hypothalamus might therefore represent an essential step to better understand and treat these disorders.
♦ (1) Wheeler EC et coll. Cannabis Sativa targets mediobasal hypothalamic neurons to stimulate appetite. Sci. Rep. 2023 ; 13:22970.
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