Credit: SciTechDaily.comNew research study reveals that cannabis triggers specific brain cells to stimulate appetite, paving the method for prospective treatments for appetite-related disorders.While it is well known that marijuana can trigger the munchies, scientists have now exposed a mechanism in the brain that promotes appetite in a set of animal research studies at Washington State University.The discovery, detailed in the journal Scientific Reports, might pave the way for refined therapeutics to treat cravings disorders dealt with by cancer clients as well as anorexia and possibly obesity.Study Methodology and FindingsAfter exposing mice to vaporized cannabis sativa, researchers used calcium imaging innovation, which is comparable to a brain MRI, to identify how their brain cells reacted.”We now understand one of the ways that the brain reacts to recreational-type marijuana to promote cravings,” said Davis.Implications and Previous ResearchThis work builds on previous research study on marijuana and cravings from Davis lab, which was amongst the very first to utilize entire vaporized marijuana plant matter in animal research studies instead of injected THC– in an effort to much better simulate how cannabis is utilized by humans. In the previous work, the scientists determined hereditary modifications in the hypothalamus in reaction to cannabis, so in this research study, Davis and his associates focused on that area.Reference: “Cannabis Sativa targets mediobasal hypothalamic neurons to promote appetite” by Emma C. Wheeler, Pique Choi, Joanne De Howitt, Sumeen Gill, Shane Watson, Sue Yu, Peyton Wahl, Cecilia Diaz, Claudia Mohr, Amy Zinski, Zhihua Jiang, David Rossi and Jon F. Davis, 27 December 2023, Scientific Reports.DOI: 10.1038/ s41598-023-50112-5The current research received assistance from the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Research Program, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture as well as by funds supplied by the state of Washington Initiative Measure No. 171.
