Cannabinoids improve capacity and memory to learn adult and old mice

2017/05/09 Etxebeste Aduriz, Egoitz - Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Osasuna
• Biologia

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A paper published in the journal Nature Medicine concludes that cannabinoids improve capacity and memory to learn adult and old mice. The results suggest that small-dose use of the cannabinoid THC (the main psychoactive component of marijuana) can contribute to combating related cognitive loss. However, researchers warn that it is still not possible to know if the effect observed in the mouse will also occur in other species.

In general, although cannabinoids are associated with cognitive damage, it is not clear how this influence is as the brain ages. In fact, other studies have shown that with age the activity of the brain endocannabinoid system decreases.

Researchers have analyzed the effect of continued treatment at a small dose of THC in young, adult, and older mice. And they have seen that in young mice it harms memory and the ability to learn, and in adults and older ones they improve. In addition, they have shown that this improvement is related to increased gene expression in an area of the brain. In fact, the gene expression of adult and old mice treated with THC was at the height of young mice.