Species-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 [...]
Lire la suiteNeurocognitive Consequences of Chronic CannabisUse : A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Pedro Rafael Figueiredo, Serenella Tolomeo, J. Douglas Steele, Alexander Baldacchino Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 2019 Doi : 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.10.014 "Une méta-analyse échoue à mettre en évidence une "toxicité" de l'usage du cannabis à long terme, sur les fonctions neuropsychologiques cognitives" Highlights A meta-analysis was conducted to assess the neuropsychological impact of cannabis. A limited association was found between chronic cannabis use and neurocognitive deficits. Memory and chronic cannabis smoking were linked. ABSTRACT Cannabis is currently the most used illicit substance in the world with a global widespread distribution. Although its acute neurocognitive effects on human behaviour have [...]
Lire la suiteAccounting for Microdosing Classic Psychedelics Blake Beaton, Heith Copes, Megan Webb, Andy Hochstetler, and Peter S. Hendricks Journal of Drug Issues, 2019, 1–12 Doi : 10.1177/0022042619871008 Abstract Microdosing classic psychedelics (e.g., LSD [lysergic acid diethylamide] and psilocybin) is the practice of taking small amounts of these substances to bring about various positive life changes. Little is known about the subjective experiences and perceptions of those who engage in the practice. Accordingly, we use the sociology of accounts as a theoretical framework to explore the ways that those who microdose excuse or justify their practice. Using data from semistructured interviews with 30 people who had microdosed, [...]
Lire la suiteMedicinal cannabis for psychiatric disorders: a clinically-focused systematic review Jerome Sarris, Justin Sinclair, Diana Karamacoska, Maggie Davidson and Joseph Firth BMC Psychiatry, 2020, 20, 24, 1-14. Doi : 10.1186/s12888-019-2409-8 Abstract Background : Medicinal cannabis has received increased research attention over recent years due to loosening global regulatory changes. Medicinal cannabis has been reported to have potential efficacy in reducing pain, muscle spasticity, chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, and intractable childhood epilepsy. Yet its potential application in the field of psychiatry is lesser known. Methods : The first clinically-focused systematic review on the emerging medical application of cannabis across all major psychiatric disorders was conducted. Current evidence regarding [...]
Lire la suitePsilocybin Benefits in Cancer Sustained Nearly 5 Years Later Nancy A. Melville Medscape, January 28, 2020 Medscape Medical News © 2020 Cancer patients who were treated with a one-time, single dose of the psychedelic drug psilocybin, combined with psychotherapy, showed significant benefits on measures of emotional and existential distress nearly 5 years after receiving the therapy, new research indicates. In addition to reporting improved well-being or life satisfaction, some patients rated the treatment as being "among the most personally meaningful and spiritually significant experiences of their lives," the authors note. The study, the longest-spanning evaluation to date of the effects of psilocybin in the treatment of cancer-related psychiatric distress, was [...]
Lire la suitePsilocybin-Assisted Therapy : A Review of a Novel Treatment for Psychiatric Disorders Kelan Thomas, Pharm.D., M.S., Benjamin Malcolm, Pharm.D., M.P.H., and Dan Lastra, B.S. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 2017 Doi : 10.1080/02791072.2017.1320734 Abstract Recent research suggests that functional connectivity changes may be involved in the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders. Hyperconnectivity in the default mode network has been associated with psycho-pathology, but psychedelic serotonin agonists like psilocybin may profoundly disrupt these dysfunctional neural network circuits and provide a novel treatment for psychiatric disorders. We have reviewed the current literature to investigate the efficacy and safety of psilocybin-assisted therapy for the treatment of psychiatric disorders. There were [...]
Lire la suiteInteraction of maternal choline levels and prenatal Marijuana's effects on the offspring Camille Hoffman, Sharon K. Hunter, Angelo D'Alessandro, KathleenNoonan et al. Psychological Medicine, 2019 Doi : https://doi.org/10.1017/S003329171900179X Published online by Cambridge University Press: 31 July 2019 Abstract Background : This study investigated whether higher maternal choline levels mitigate effects of marijuana on fetal brain development. Choline transported into the amniotic fluid from the mother activates α7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptors on fetal cerebro-cortical inhibitory neurons, whose development is impeded by cannabis blockade of their cannabinoid-1(CB1) receptors. Methods : Marijuana use was assessed during pregnancy from women who later brought their newborns for study. Mothers were informed about [...]
Lire la suiteChanging landscape of cannabis : novel products, formulations, and methods of administration Tory R Spindle, Marcel O Bonn-Miller and Ryan Vandrey Current Opinion in Psychology, 2019, 30, 98–102 Doi : 10.1016/j.copsyc.2019.04.002 Abstract Laws regulating cannabis have changed radically in the U.S. and abroad. Historically, users smoked dried cannabis flowers that contained D9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive component of cannabis, as the principal product constituent. Coincident with cannabis legalization and increased interest in medicinal use of the plant, there is now an expansive retail cannabis marketplace with novel cannabis products, formulations, and methods of administration. In this review, we describe emergent cannabis product chemotypes (e.g. THC-dominant, [...]
Lire la suiteCOMMENTARY A Physician's Guide to the Cannabidiol Craze Angela Coombs, MD; Diana M. Martinez, MD Medscape, May 31, 2019 Last month at the Columbia University Department of Psychiatry in upper Manhattan, Columbia chief psychiatry resident Dr Angela Coombs interviewed addiction expert Dr Diana Martinez on a number of issues related to the rising popularity and usage of cannabidiol (CBD). This transcript has been edited for clarity. Angela Coombs, MD: Hi. My name is Dr Angela Coombs and I'm a chief resident here at Columbia. We are so happy to be able to have Dr Diana Martinez, who's a professor in psychiatry at Columbia and an expert [...]
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