Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Plognark · 04-12-2005, 04:53 AM

Whacky Tabbacy + Internet Bulletin Boards = Confusion for all participants.

Dean Anderson · 04-12-2005, 04:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oolon Colluphid

Blimey, that's hard to find an answer to! Or rather, it's hard to weed out all the thousands of Google hits about thc's effects on humans. Have tried Pubmed to similar dismay. Finally I stuck 'what does thc do in a plant?' into Google, and found this one:

http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives...5085.Bt.r.html

It protects the plant from herbivores. Which, having got stoned, then can't be bothered to eat the plant. Cows presumably don't get the munchies...

Seriously, what gives a primate brain a nice buzz might seriously mess up the neurological functioning of a herbivore, or more likely, insect pests.

That makes sense.

I often find it amusing how humans are masochists when it comes to food. Onions, Chillies, Horseradish, and so on... all sorts of plants produce chemical warfare agents in their struggle to avoid predation - and humans seek them out in small doses because it makes our diet 'spicier'.

I have no doubt that there are people in the rainforest somewhere licking brightly coloured frogs for the buzz they get from them...

Oolon Colluphid · 04-12-2005, 04:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Plognark

Whacky Tabbacy + Internet Bulletin Boards = Confusion for all participants.

I'd take exception to that if... um... I kinda... could be bothered... what was the question? ... who's ordering the pizza?

Plognark · 04-12-2005, 05:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pervy

That makes sense.

I often find it amusing how humans are masochists when it comes to food. Onions, Chillies, Horseradish, and so on... all sorts of plants produce chemical warfare agents in their struggle to avoid predation - and humans seek them out in small doses because it makes our diet 'spicier'.

I have no doubt that there are people in the rainforest somewhere licking brightly coloured frogs for the buzz they get from them...

I recall reading that we're (we being homo sapiens) one of, if not the only, known species that actually seeks out and enjoys bitter foods. For pretty much all other animals, bitter = don't fucking eat it.

Jet Black · 04-12-2005, 05:15 AM

yeap. I suppose it is at least partially because we know it is not actully damaging us, and we can just enjoy the sensations since we can decouple "bitter" and "poison" using our brains. babies hate bitter things for example probably because they haven't learned about it yet.

Peez · 04-12-2005, 05:28 AM

This has been well addressed, I will just add a few notes.

Quote:

Visionary7:
The plant has been around for centuries and then some.

Perhaps hundreds of thousands of years.

Quote:

Marijuana is Tetrahyrdocannabinol..Or THC for short.

Nope. THC is just one of the thousands of chemicals produced by Cannabis sativa (Marijuana).

Quote:

What I want to ask is a scientific analysis how how marijuana affects the brain by synapes, neurotransmitters, and brain chemistry.

This is being researched, but according to The Brain & the Actions of Cocaine, Opiates, and Marijuana:

Quote:

Over the last few years, there has been intense study to discover where and how THC works. One theory is that it acts in a similar way to opiates. Again we can use the nucleus accumbens as an example. The same three neurons are probably involved; the dopamine terminal, another terminal (on the right) containing a different neurotransmitter (probably GABA), and the post-synaptic cell containing dopamine receptors. THC binds to THC receptors (magenta) on the neighboring terminal and this sends a signal to the dopamine terminal to release more dopamine. [Again, it is probably a presynaptic receptor on GABA interneurons that controls dopamine release.]

Since there is more dopamine released, there is increased activation of dopamine receptors. This causes increased production of cAMP inside the post-synaptic cell which alters the normal activity of the neuron. As a result of THC actions in the nucleus accumbens, there are increased impulses leaving the nucleus accumbens to activate the reward system. Scientists still don't know how the continued use of marijuana alters the reward system, and this continues to be an area of intense research by neuroscientists.

Quote:

How exactly does the brain react to thc?

See above.

Quote:

Consider the age of the plant.

I see no reason to think that it is any younger or older than most other plants.

Peez

Plognark · 04-12-2005, 05:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jet Black

yeap. I suppose it is at least partially because we know it is not actully damaging us, and we can just enjoy the sensations since we can decouple "bitter" and "poison" using our brains. babies hate bitter things for example probably because they haven't learned about it yet.

That does make a lot of sense. I'm sure alcoholic beverages go a long way to conditioning us to like bitter as well.

Dhaeron · 04-12-2005, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oolon Colluphid

Seriously, what gives a primate brain a nice buzz might seriously mess up the neurological functioning of a herbivore, or more likely, insect pests.

Especially if you compare the body weight.

kingzfan2000 · 04-12-2005, 07:55 AM

Does weed really kill your brain cells at an abnormal rate?

NearNihil Experience · 04-12-2005, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kingzfan2000

Does weed really kill your brain cells at an abnormal rate?

From what I understand, it doesn't actually kill cells at a higher rate. Actually, I don't think it kills them any more than aging. I think it does more of a sort of stunjob on them whilst affected by thc. However, I don't hink it actually kills them in the same way alcohol, exhaust, gas fumes, magic markers, and brake cleaner certainly do.

FWIW, I don't think pot does permanent brain damage. All effects are recouperative over time...except the lung damage from heated smoke entering the sensetive pink lungs.

*crosses stinky resin coated fingers*
[aside\]

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

04-12-2005, 04:53 AM	#21
Plognark Contributor Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 14,952	Whacky Tabbacy + Internet Bulletin Boards = Confusion for all participants.

04-12-2005, 05:15 AM	#25
Jet Black Contributor Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: (GSV) Lasting Damage Posts: 10,734	yeap. I suppose it is at least partially because we know it is not actully damaging us, and we can just enjoy the sensations since we can decouple "bitter" and "poison" using our brains. babies hate bitter things for example probably because they haven't learned about it yet.

04-12-2005, 07:55 AM	#29
kingzfan2000 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Maryland Posts: 641	Does weed really kill your brain cells at an abnormal rate?

Freethought & Rationalism Archive

The archives are read only.