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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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Posted by Michael D on November 20, 2002, at 11:25:23
http://www.cannabisculture.com/articles/2527.html
"Researchers at the University of California speculate that THC and other cannabinoids may be useful in the treatment of schizophrenia.
Some forms of schizophrenia are believed to be caused by a hyperactive dopamine system, and dopamine is regulated by anandamide, a chemical similar to THC but produced naturally in the body. Analysis of the cerebro-spinal fluid extracted from schizophrenics in Germany found levels of anadamide twice as high as a normal person's.
Daniele Piomelli, who heads the research team, speculates that the higher anadamide levels are "the brain's response to bring this dopamine activity down, but the brain cannot keep the amount of anandamide high enough." This might explain why schizophrenics use marijuana at higher rates than the general population.
THC and anandamide both bind to the brain cannabinoid receptor CB1, which is mostly found in regions of the human brain that have been implicated in schizophrenia, including prefrontal cortex, basal ganglia and hippocampus."
http://www.newu.uci.edu/archive/1999-2000/spring/000529/n-000529-medicine.html
"Medicine: UCI researchers have developed a marijuana-like chemical for treating mental disorders.
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By Andreas von Bubnoff
Staff Writer
Most of us have heard of these disorders: schizophrenia, Tourette's Syndrome or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. They all seem to have only one thing in common: they are all mental disorders.But there is something else they have in common: all of them show hyperactivity of the neurotransmitter dopamine in some area of the brain."
...
""[Dopamine] receptor blockers are all there is [for such disorders like] schizophrenia [and] Tourette's Syndrome, and they have a lot of side effects."
The reason for these side effects, said Piomelli, is that in patients with these disorders, only a subset of dopamine receptors in the brain are hyperactivated, but that the currently available drugs block all of them.
Now Piomelli and his research team have developed a chemical called AM404 which could form the basis for a new class of drugs to treat these disorders more selectively, with fewer side effects.
AM404 does not block dopamine receptors. Instead, it blocks the inactivation of the neurotransmitter anandamide.
Anandamide is similar to marijuana's active ingredient, THC and belongs to a class of neurotransmitters called endogenous cannabinoids since it is naturally produced by some of the brain's nerve cells.
It is produced only by nerve cells whose dopamine receptors are activated, Piomelli said.
Anandamide in turn binds to cannabinoid receptors and thereby inhibits the effects of dopamine.
"[It is] kind of a negative feedback," Piomelli said.
Like most neurotransmitters, anandamide is inactivated soon after it has been released. "It is taken up by [the] cells so it [gets] inside the cell where an enzyme destroys it," Piomelli said.
In their most recent paper, published in the May issue of the Journal of Neuroscience, Piomelli's group has shown that AM404 inhibits this inactivation of anandamide.
The researchers showed that AM404 treatment leads to an accumulation of anandamide, but only outside of nerve cells that are already activated by dopamine. Anandamide then inhibits the effects of dopamine in these cells by binding to cannabinoid receptors.
Thus, Piomelli pointed out, AM404 should act more selectively than dopamine receptor blockers, because it only inhibits dopamine activity in nerve cells or brain areas that are already activated by dopamine.
PiomelliÕs group tested this by injecting AM404 into the brain of rats treated with anandamide.
Anandamide alone, which inhibits dopamine action, had similar effects on the animals as drugs blocking the dopamine receptor. "One of [these effects] is a profound inhibition of locomotor activity," Piomelli said, "so the animals donÕt move very much."
This effect, similar to the side effects observed in humans treated with drugs blocking the dopamine receptor, was not observed anymore after injecting AM404 into the brains of these rats as well.
The researchers also injected AM404 into the brains of mutant rats that are hyperactive and these rats behaved normally again.
These results suggest that AM404 may inhibit dopamine hyperactivity without showing many of the side effects of the drugs currently used.
Will patients with schizophrenia soon be able to take AM404 as a drug with fewer side effects than the drugs currently available? "We are still far [away from a drug], but we are closer than before," Piomelli said.
One problem, he said, is that AM404 is not a very potent drug, so more of it is necessary to achieve an effect. "We don't know if it has other side effects in the body," Piomelli said. "If you keep taking it for two or three weeks, it could accumulate in the liver, you have no idea [what it does]."
"We have been trying very hard to find more potent drugs, and so far we haven't succeeded," he said.
Until then, patients will have to put up with the side effects of current drugs.
Many patients suffering from schizophrenia smoke marijuana, Piomelli said, adding that this is not the treatment of choice.
One reason is that, according to Piomelli, marijuana has side effects because its active ingredient-THC-binds to all cannabinoid receptors and not just the ones on nerve cells with too much dopamine activity.
Piomelli added that "there is evidence that marijuana is a risk factor for worsening the symptoms."
The reason, he said, is that smoking marijuana reduces the number of available cannabinoid receptors.
"The [cannabinoid] receptor shuts off as a result of the activation [by marijuana]," he said.
"Now all of a sudden, [by smoking marijuana] you have shut off all your receptors."
As a result, smoking more marijuana doesn't have any effect anymore.
"You are eliminating the one brake mechanism that you had [against the symptoms]," Piomelli said."
Posted by Mr Cushing on November 20, 2002, at 15:22:23
In reply to Cannabis relieves Schizophrenia symptoms, posted by Michael D on November 20, 2002, at 11:25:23
I'm no Doctor, but I find these articles to be really off base from personal experience. I have two people relatively close to me that are suffering from Schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. I find that even while they are medicated, that is, if they choose for a longer period of time to stay medicated, that if they smoke one joint... Boom... back to their own little worlds.One of my best friends suffers from a form of psychosis that he has under his own control whenever he's not stoned. Like you can tell that he's been through a lot, but you can't notice any of his symptoms when he's sober. As soon as he smoked a joint... He'll tell anybody that will listen about his current cocaine addiction (which he managed to kick 2 years ago and is NOT presently using), about how he hears voices through the TV Set and Radios and stuff telling him to do things (which he doesn't as long as he takes his medication and in the past 2 years he hasn't fallen off track, but speaks like it's currently happening), and basically, just retreats to his own little world.
With people that are manic-depressive (which I have personal experience of) I find that moderated marijuana usage is alright. It doesn't set off any immediate negative reactions and is far safer for me than drinking. Having anything over 3 beers and I'm talking about the possibility of having wings surgically implanted into my back so that I don't have to walk around all the time anymore. When I smoke a joint, I find that I'm just able to relax and shut my mind off. However, if I smoke too much then I start to push myself back into a depression.
Anyways, felt like I should throw my two cents in since marijuana is something that is very close to me.
Posted by IsoM on November 20, 2002, at 15:54:04
In reply to Re: Cannabis relieves Schizophrenia symptoms » Michael D, posted by Mr Cushing on November 20, 2002, at 15:22:23
I have neighbours who trust me well. The husband has schizophrenia & if he smokes a small amount of marijuana, it will shut off the voices. He finds quiet & peace. For their family (they have 5 kids), it's proved a life saver. He uses it wisely, never for recreation & it's enabled him to lead a relatively normal life.
Posted by linkadge on November 20, 2002, at 17:45:26
In reply to Re: Cannabis relieves Schizophrenia symptoms » Michael D, posted by Mr Cushing on November 20, 2002, at 15:22:23
I always thought Marajuana caused paranoia ?
Wierd
Linkadge
Posted by Mystia on November 20, 2002, at 18:31:36
In reply to Re: Cannabis relieves Schizophrenia symptoms » Mr Cushing, posted by IsoM on November 20, 2002, at 15:54:04
I have to agree.......just today, my Psych class was discussing schizophrenia and my professor said that *sometimes* marijuana could bring relief for *some* people...also, people can have a predisposition for schizophrenia (which doesn't neccesarily mean they WILL get it) and that those people need to stay away from certain situations and things (such as hallucinogens) to avoid suffering from schizophrenia.
My professor's mother has schizophrenia and it was triggered by menopause....so now she (the prof.) knows what to stay away from and what to do to *maybe* not suffer from schizophrenia like her mother....
Just some thoughts :)
Posted by Minx on November 21, 2002, at 15:10:14
In reply to Re: Cannabis relieves Schizophrenia symptoms » IsoM, posted by Mystia on November 20, 2002, at 18:31:36
> ...also, people can have a predisposition for schizophrenia (which doesn't neccesarily mean they WILL get it) and that those people need to stay away from certain situations and things (such as hallucinogens) to avoid suffering from schizophrenia.
>I wonder if that's why all my acid-droppin' friends in high school told me I should NEVER try the stuff...They never would tell me why - just DON'T.
Posted by Mystia on November 21, 2002, at 18:30:15
In reply to Re: Cannabis, posted by Minx on November 21, 2002, at 15:10:14
Yeah that could be why! Or maybe it was because they had bad trips? That stuff is BAD, no matter what anyways. :)
Posted by shar30906 on November 22, 2002, at 14:19:04
In reply to Puff - the realistic dragon, posted by linkadge on November 20, 2002, at 17:45:26
please do no misunderstand me, I am in no way promoting the use of pot for anyone, but I have found from personal use that it is one of the very few things that has ever helped control the bottomless depresive state of my BiPolar disorder, but of the flip side it has a very nevative effect on the manic paranoid state of my disorder. my contition was somewhat undercontrol until I total discontinued using pot, i found it to effectively stabilize my mood, with out many of the horrible sideeffects of many of the medications that i am taking now, nor am I waiting for my liver to fall out of my body. I have talked about this with my family and with out a doubt they are not supportive, which is par for the course i'm sad to say, i know they care, but when it comes time to do more than write a check they allways have something more important to do, like go shopping, instead, of going with me to the dr's. my therapis does understand why i have chosen to use a minimal amount of pot to stabalise my mood. like I said i do not promote this practice for others, but wanted to share my views
best of luck to you all
shar30906
Posted by comftnumb on November 24, 2002, at 13:25:32
In reply to Cannabis relieves Schizophrenia symptoms, posted by Michael D on November 20, 2002, at 11:25:23
Study after study is showing that cannabis triggers psychotic episodes in people with a predisposition for schizophrenia. Another fact: if you have smoked pot or smoke pot, you have a 6times greater chance of developing schizophrenia. It was only when I started smoking pot that after a few weeks of heavy smoking I had my first psychotic episode. That was in November of 2001. Since then virtually all of the times I have had bad psychosis have been when I smoked pot. So I will never touch that stuff again ever, not unless they cure schizophrenia for good.
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