The Chemistry of Drugs :: Addictions Marijuana Health Science Essays

The Chemistry of Drugs Delta 9 Tetrahydrocannabinol is the primary hallucinogenic constituent of Cannibis sativa, and is trap to two cannabinoid receptors CB1 receptors, located primarily in the brain, and CB2 receptors, located primarily in the periphery (Wiley & Martin 2002). A cannabinoid is defined as a substance that has pharmacologic properties that resemble those of delta 9 THC i.e. a drug that binds to CB1 and /or CB2 receptors in vitro and produces a profile of in vivo effects in the tetrad pretence (Wiley 2002). THC inhibits the function of the enzyme adenylate cyclase which is involved in the transmission of pain messages. charm there are over 60 cannibinoids identified in the gear up Cannabis sativa, Delta 9 tetrahydrocannabinol is the primary mood altering psychoactive agent in marijuana. cannabis effects acetylcholine synthesis and turnover in the limbic region of the brain and in the cerebellum. (Harwood 2005) Eldreth, Matochik Cadet, and Bolla (2004) us ed PET 15 and a limited version of the Stroop task to determine if 25 twenty-four hour periodlight abstinent heavy marijuana users experienced persistent deficits in decision maker cognitive functioning and brain activity. The performance on a modified version of the Stroop task and brain activity was compared between 25 day abstinent, heavy users, and a matched similitude stem. The 25 day abstinent users showed no deficits in performance on the modified version of the Stroop task when compared to the coincidence group. They also found that despite the lack of performance differences, the front cingulated lens cortex and the left lateral prefrontal cortex had hyperactivity in the hippocampus bilaterally, when compared to the comparison group. The results suggested that users display persistent metabolic alterations in brain regions responsible for decision maker cognitive functioning. (Eldreth, Matochik, Cadet, & Bolla 2004). When performing the Stoop task, marijuana users were found to have greater activation compared to the comparison group in the left and right hippocampus. Marijuana users also failed to activate to the same extent as the comparison group in the left lateral prefrontal cortex and the left perigenual anterior cingulated cortex. According to Gardner (2002) drugs that are addictive to humans are similar to wolf model systems in five ways. First, drugs enhance electrical brain input signal reward in the core meso-accumbens reward circuitry of the brain, a circuit encompassing that portion of the medial forebrain bundle which links the ventral tegmental celestial orbit of the mesencephalic midbrain