 |
|
Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009 7:31 pm | by cadfy
|
By Scott LaFee, STAFF WRITER
Published December 22, 2009
A study of Canadian teenagers, among the largest consumers of cannabis worldwide, found that smoking the illicit drug is harder on young brains than originally thought. Writing in the journal Neurobiology of Disease, researchers at McGill University in Montreal said daily consumption of cannabis in teens can cause significant depression and anxiety and have an irreversible long-term effect on the brain.
The study keyed upon the interaction between cannabis and two important neurotransmitters in the brain — serotonin and norepinephrine, which help regulate functions such as mood control and anxiety.
“Teenagers who are exposed to cannabis have decreased serotonin transmission, which leads to mood disorders, as well as increased norepinephrine transmission, which leads to greater long-term susceptibility to stress,” said Dr. Gabriella Gobbi, one of the study’s authors.
The study is the first to focus upon the neurobiological mechanisms at the root of cannabis’ influence on depression and anxiety and the first to show that consumption of the drug causes more serious damage during adolescence than adulthood.
Add Comment