Even casually smoking marijuana can change your brain, study says

[blackram]

The days when people thought only heavy Cheech-and-Chong pot smokers suffered cognitive consequences may be over. A study in The Journal of Neuroscience says even casual marijuana smokers showed significant abnormalities in two vital brain regions important in motivation and emotion.

“Some of these people only used marijuana to get high once or twice a week,” said co-author Hans Breiter, quoted in Northwestern University’s Science Newsline. Breiter hailed the study as the first to analyze the effects of light marijuana use. “People think a little recreational use shouldn’t cause a problem, if someone is doing OK with work or school,” he said. “Our data directly says this is not the case.”

 

[Al Bumin]

I am fucked.

 

[Puzzlemaker]

Oh shit.

 

[sofialee]

Many people also improve their health and overall quality of life from marijuana consumption. The topic of marijuana being good or bad can be looked at from so many angles

 

[papasmerf]

Many people also improve their health and overall quality of life from marijuana consumption. The topic of marijuana being good or bad can be looked at from so many angles

As can the fact that "medical marijuana" is a system that cries out for abuse.

 

[Bamm]

Still beats smoking cigarettes. Rather lose a few million brain cells that getting so many type of cancer it causes.

 

[A B S]

Points taken.

 

[LickingGravity]

Yes , saw this story. Was was different in the version I was (Toronto newspaper) was that the areas of the brain affected(nucleus accumbens) actually increased in size. The study used MRI's to measure. It NOT draw scientific conclusions has to whether these changes were were positive or negative or even permanent.

This subject interests me because I been considering trying pot to see it has any affects on seizures - an eclectrical problems ( see epilespy). I had brain surgery in December to drain blood from brain as a result a the unforunate combination a head injury and blood thinners of a heart valve. The surgery unduced many seziures and the only they had to stop them was to put me in a coma for week. I am now on anti-seizure meds, can't drink drive or a year etc. The meds are horrible, making you tired and dizzy.

The two most popular uses for "pot" are cancer and seizures. Reseaching whether I should dust off my Pink Floyd collection.

 

[Maurice Boscorelli]

Yes , saw this story. Was was different in the version I was (Toronto newspaper) was that the areas of the brain affected(nucleus accumbens) actually increased in size. The study used MRI's to measure. It NOT draw scientific conclusions has to whether these changes were were positive or negative or even permanent.

This subject interests me because I been considering trying pot to see it has any affects on seizures - an eclectrical problems ( see epilespy). I had brain surgery in December to drain blood from brain as a result a the unforunate combination a head injury and blood thinners of a heart valve. The surgery unduced many seziures and the only they had to stop them was to put me in a coma for week. I am now on anti-seizure meds, can't drink drive or a year etc. The meds are horrible, making you tired and dizzy.

The two most popular uses for "pot" are cancer and seizures. Reseaching whether I should dust off my Pink Floyd collection.

I was wondering why you have been quiet on here.

Please if you could give us some updates on your research and the course you decided to take.

 

[blackram]

Yes , saw this story. Was was different in the version I was (Toronto newspaper) was that the areas of the brain affected(nucleus accumbens) actually increased in size. The study used MRI's to measure. It NOT draw scientific conclusions has to whether these changes were were positive or negative or even permanent.

I guess every paper has its own take on it.

So you were in the hospital? When did that happen?

 

[LickingGravity]

I guess every paper has its own take on it.

So you were in the hospital? When did that happen?

I hit my head in October. The immediate effect was double vision and a splitting headache. It created a medical conrundum - take my off the blood thinners and risk a stroke as blood builds up on the valve and then breaks loose - or continue to bleed in my skull. The blood started coming out around the eye sockets and 2 days after being admitted I had world class shiners/black eyes.

I was in the hospital for 3 weeks and stablized, put back on blood thinners and released. Two weeks later I started sponstantly bleeding again. Off to Sunnybrook to have 6 holes drilled my skull. I was there for one month. When I left I couldn't speak at all and my right hand has lost most of it's fine motor skills (couldn't use cell phone etc). "Sorry about the siezures, but no worries we have pills for that, by way, please hand in drivers licence on the way out"

Off to rehab for another month (home weekends with my Russian nurse :biggrin2. I discovered that most speech therapists are impossibly young and cute. Wierd things I discovered that I could spell anymore ( left prosition out sentences) but I had no trouble reading ( as soon the double vision left which was about 3 weeks ago). I came home for good two months after the operation.

The only good thing to come of this is I lost 30 lbs. Trying not to put too much back as I built up the lost muscle tone. It has been a journey and is not over yet. I still talk a little bit "funny" and right hand still dimished feeling in it - although it now feels likes somebody is jerking me off :biggrin2:. Still a long way from getting drivers licence back.

 

[SillyGirl]

Good to have you back, LG. Sending good thoughts for your continued recovery. :BigHug:

 

[User-E]

Good to have you back, LG. Sending good thoughts for your continued recovery. :BigHug:

Ditto! :BigHug:

 

[Curly]

Best wishes to a speedy recovery LickingGravity.

 

[blackram]

So how did you hit your head, LG? Also if you're prone to bleeding from the brain, then I would not do anything that would make any part of the brain swell up, if as you say marijuana might make certain parts of the brain grow.