Harmful Effects of Smoking Cannabis : A Cerebrovascular and Neurological Perspective Sabrina Rahman Archie and Luca Cucullo Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2019, 10, Article 1481. doi : 10.3389/fphar.2019.01481 Apart from being used as a medicine, cannabis or marijuana is the most widely abused recreational drug all over the world. The legalization and decriminalization of cannabis in Canada and various states of USA may be the underlying reason of the widespread popularity of it among young population. Various studies have reported about the relationship between cannabis use and different detrimental effects like cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and neurological complications among different age groups. Specifically, the young population is [...]
Lire la suiteCannabis use in pediatric cancer patients : what are they reading ? A review of the online literature. YEUNG M., WROOT H., CHARNOCK C., FORBES C., LAFAY-COUSIN L., SCHULTE F. Support Care Cancer, 2020. doi: 10.1007/s00520-020-05306-2 Abstract BACKGROUND: Recent changes to the legal status of marijuana in Canada warrant a review of the information that patients and families are accessing online regarding the role of cannabis in cancer. The aims of the current research were to identify the quality of literature available online as well as the themes, and opinion (i.e., pro-, neutral, or anti-cannabis) of online articles. METHODS: Searches were conducted using three primary search engines: Google, [...]
Lire la suiteKetamine Promising in Cocaine Addiction Batya Swift Yasgur, MA, LSW Medscape.com, July 05, 2019 https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/915260_print A single ketamine infusion combined with mindfulness-based relapse prevention therapy (MBRP) improves abstinence and cuts cravings in cocaine-dependent adults, new research suggests. Results of a randomized control trial show that rates of abstinence were significiantly higher in patients who received ketamine plus MBRP compared to control patients. Moreover, those in the group that received ketamine were significantly less likely to experience relapse compared to control persons, and cravings were also significantly lower in the ketamine group throughout the trial. "In individuals receiving MBRP, a single ketamine infusion led to significantly greater odds [...]
Lire la suiteCannabis Exposure is Associated With a Lower Likelihood of Neurocognitive Impairment in People Living With HIV Caitlin Wei-Ming Watson, Emily W. Paolillo, Erin E. Morgan, Anya Umlauf, Erin E. Sundermann, Ronald J. Ellis, MD, Scott Letendre, Thomas D. Marcotte, Robert K. Heaton, and Igor Grant Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes, 2020, 83, (1), 56–64. Doi : 10.1097/QAI.0000000000002211 Background : Aging and HIV have adverse effects on the central nervous system, including increased inflammation and neural injury and confer risk of neurocognitive impairment (NCI). Previous research suggests the nonacute neurocognitive effects of cannabis in the general population are adverse or null. However, in the [...]
Lire la suiteThe Psychiatric Consequences of Cannabinoids Joao P. De Aquino, Mohamed Sherif, Rajiv Radhakrishnan, John D. Cahill, Mohini Ranganathan and Deepak C. D’Souza Clinical Therapeutics, 2018, 40, (9), 14481456 Doi : 10.1016/j.clinthera.2018.03.013 ABSTRACT With rising rates of cannabis use in the general population and an increasing number of US states legalizing both recreational and medical cannabis use, it is important to be informed about the adverse consequences of cannabinoids. This Commentary provides an overview of the psychiatric effects of plant-based and synthetic cannabinoids, differentiating acute effects from effects associated with persistent use. Cannabinoids produce multiphasic and dose dependent effects on anxiety, mood, and perception, in addition [...]
Lire la suiteThe epidemiology of 5-Methoxy-N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT) use: Benefits, consequences, patterns of use, subjective effects, and reasons for consumption Alan K. Davis, Joseph P. Barsuglia, Rafael Lancelotta, Robert M. Grant, and Elise Renn Journal of Psychopharmacology, 2018, 32, (7), 779–792. doi : 10.1177/0269881118769063 Abstract Background/Aim : 5-Methoxy-N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT) is a psychoactive compound found in several plants and in high concentrations in Bufo alvarius toad venom. Synthetic, Toad, and Plant-sourced 5-MeO-DMT are used for spiritual and recreational purposes and may have psychotherapeutic effects. However, the use of 5-MeO-DMT is not well understood. Therefore, we examined patterns of use, motivations for consumption, subjective effects, and potential benefits and consequences [...]
Lire la suiteIntensity of Mystical Experiences Occasioned by 5-MeO-DMT and Comparison With a Prior Psilocybin Study Joseph Barsuglia, Alan K. Davis, Robert Palmer, Rafael Lancelotta, Austin-Marley Windham-Herman, Kristel Peterson, Martin Polanco, Robert Grant and Roland R. Griffiths Frontiers in Psychology, 2018, Vol 9, Article doi : 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02459 5-MeO-DMT is a psychoactive substance found in high concentrations in the bufotoxin of the Colorado River Toad (Bufo alvarius). Emerging evidence suggests that vaporized 5-MeO-DMT may occasion mystical experiences of comparable intensity to those occasioned by more widely studied psychedelics such as psilocybin, but no empirical study has tested this hypothesis. Data was obtained from 20 individuals (Mage = [...]
Lire la suiteThe effects of cannabinoid 1 receptor compounds on memory : a meta-analysis and systematic review across species Faith Borgan, Katherine Beck, Emma Butler, Robert McCutcheon, Mattia Veronese, Anthony Vernon, Oliver D. Howes Psychopharmacology, 2019 Doi : 10.1007/s00213-019-05283-3 Abstract Rationale : While cannabis-based medicinal products have been shown to be effective for numerous neurological and psychiatric disorders, the evidence base regarding their adverse cognitive effects is poorly understood. The cannabinoid 1 receptor modulates memory performance via intracellular and extracellular mechanisms that alter synaptic transmission and plasticity. While previous literature has consistently shown that chronic cannabis users exhibitmarked cognitive impairments,mixed findings have been reported in the context [...]
Lire la suiteSpecies-specific susceptibility to cannabis-induced convulsions Benjamin J Whalley, Hong Lin, Lynne Bell, Thomas Hill, Amesha Patel, Roy A Gray, C Elizabeth Roberts, Orrin Devinsky, Michael Bazelot, Claire M Williams and Gary J Stephens British Journal of Pharmacology, 2018, 1-18. Doi : 10.1111/bph.14165 BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Numerous claims are made for cannabis’ therapeutic utility upon human seizures, but concerns persist about risks. A potential confounder is the presence of both Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), variously reported to be pro- and anticonvulsant, and cannabidiol (CBD), widely confirmed as anticonvulsant. Therefore, we investigated effects of prolonged exposure to different THC/CBD cannabis extracts on seizure activity and associated measures of endocannabinoid [...]
Lire la suiteCannabinoids in Pain Management and Palliative Medicine An Overview of Systematic Reviews and Prospective Observational Studies Winfried Häuser, Mary-Ann Fitzcharles, Lukas Radbruch, Frank Petzke The Deutsches Ärzteblatt International, 2017, 114, 627–634. Doi : 10.3238/arztebl.2017.0627 SUMMARY Background : There are conflicting interpretations of the evidence regarding the efficacy, tolerability, and safety of cannabinoids in pain management and palliative medicine. Methods : We conducted a systematic review (SR) of systematic reviews of randomized controlled trials (RCT) and prospective long-term observational studies of the use of cannabinoids in pain management and palliative medicine. Pertinent publications from January 2009 to January 2017 were retrieved by a selective search in the Cochrane [...]
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