Download Is there a correlation between the use of cannabis and the

Cannabis and Schizophrenia
Major Constituents of Cannabis
The two major substances found in cannabis include
tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannibidiol (CBD)
THC is the major psychoactive substance found in cannabis
THC acts as an agonist while CBD acts as an antagonist by
having the same effect as neuroleptics
THC
THC effectively acts as a dopamine agonist, thus blocking the
reuptake of dopamine and L-DOPA (which stimulates the
synthesis of dopamine)
Produces an overactivity of dopaminergic synapses in the
nucleus accumbens
Dopaminergic neurons are involved in reinforcement.
Areas of The Brain Most Affected by
THC
Basal Ganglia, and the Cerebellum (Motor Tasks)
Hippocampus (Short-Term Memory)
Cannabinoids inhibit the transmission of neural signals
Correlation Between THC and
Schizophrenia
A relatively small proportion of cannabis users develop
psychosis
Explained by the amount and duration of the consumption of
cannabis, its strength, and also the age at which individuals
are exposed to cannabis
Genetic factors – COMT (catechol-O-methyl transferase)
Those Most at Risk of Developing
Schizophrenia
Users under the age of 21, as the human brain has not fully
matured
Users under the age of 15 are 4.5 times more likely to
develop psychosis by the age of 26
An increase in the concentration of dopamine in a developing
brain increases the likelihood of developing schizophrenia in
early adulthood
Physical Harm vs. Dependency
CBD
Cannabidiol (CBD) represents up to 40% of cannabis extracts
Found to reduce schizophrenic symptoms by blocking
dopamine receptors
Prevents the storage of monoamines in synaptic vesicles
Cannabidiol has no affinity for CB1 receptors
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