Brain Damage and Marijuana

Medical Evidence That Drug Use and Abuse is Harmful

May 18, 2009
Christopher Pascale

18 Year Old Brain, 3 Years Marijuana Use, 4x/Week - Amen Clinics

"Marijuana might cause new cell growth in the brain." Headline of an article by Kurt Kleiner, Oct. 13, 2005.

The above quote is the title of an article in New Scientist magazine, a London-based publication and website that reports on modern science news. However, the quote is misleading, as the article explains that the study it refers to is not related to marijuana, but HU-210 based on a study performed on rats.

HU-210 and marijuana have certain similarities such as being mentioned together in news articles, but the parallels between the two begin to drift from there. Marijuana is a naturally occurring herbal plant whereas HU-210, a synthetic type of cannabis, is man-made with a varying potency between 100 and 800 times that of natural THC, the main psychoactive substance in cannabis plants. Comparing the two is similar to drawing likeness between an orange and a vitamin C tablet.

One article, "Cannabinoids Promote Embryonic and Adult Hippocampus Neurogenesis and Produce Anxiolytic and Antidepressant-like Effects" by Wen Jiang and others, (Journal of Clinical Investigation 115(11)) explains that HU-210, when taken regularly, can increase neural growth in the hippocampus, a major component of the brain that plays a significant role in long term memory and spatial navigation. But it is important to note that the subjects of study were rats, not humans.

The study also found that chronic treatment with HU-210 had antianxiety and antidepressant-like effects, the opposite results of the use of drugs like nicotine, alcohol, and heroin.

Regarding marijuana, the Amen Clinics, which represents more than 1,000 neuropsychiatric clinicians in the United States, have claimed that regular marijuana use leads to the degeneration of the prefrontal cortex and the temporal lobe (where the hippocampus is located) as noted in SPECT scans, which are 3D photos taken through the use of nuclear technology.

A 2001 article, "Brain SPECT in Neurology and Psychiatry", by Edward Camargo in The Journal of Nuclear Medicine discusses SPECT scans in more detail. The scans show underlying cerebral blood flow. A healthier brain will have more blood flow, whereas a damaged one will have less, giving the appearance of holes in the brain.

What is the Importance of a Prefrontal Cortex?

The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is a part of the frontal lobes and plays a large part in decision making as well as planning and judgment, explaining much in terms of why people under the influence of drugs do not always conduct themselves in the manner that they would under the influence of sobriety.

The Role of the Temporal Lobe

The temporal lobe contains the hippocampus, which aids efforts in long term memory. Additionally, the temporal lobe plays an important role in auditory processing, speech, and vision, leading one to realize why there are temporary changes in the coherency of speech, hearing, and vision when drugs have entered the blood stream.

Further Confusion Between Marijuana and HU-210

Despite these facts about the polarizing effects of these two substances, one stimulating growth while the other causing damage, the 58 comments attached to the New Scientist 2005 article come almost entirely from readers who agree with the good of marijuana. These readers include Yolanda L, who believes that marijuana should be legal "because of how much good it does," and RantMan, whose 699 word soliloquy quotes the book of Genesis, leading him to conclude that Jesus Christ "smoked fat joints."

More information and scans regarding brain damage can be found on the Amen Clinics' BrainPlace.com where a gallery compiled from more than 40,000 patients over nearly 30 years show detail regarding damage due to substance abuse (such as the photo presented in this article) and also images displaying activity.

Substance abuse is listed among the scans along with those from patients with exposure to toxins, and issues with suicide, worry, and rigidity.

Opposition to The Amen Clinics' Methods

Dr. Harriet Hall, a family practice physician, has written A Skeptical View of SPECT Scans and Dr. Daniel Amen for the website Quackwatch.com.

Dr. Hall makes strong arguments against Dr. Amen, but she has no experience with SPECT medicine and cites limited sources to back up her claims. The Amen Clinics, on the other hand, have compiled data from roughly 40,000 sources over nearly 30 years.

Dr. Hall's response to Dr. Amen's data is that she does believe that the patterns displayed in the scans can reflect the need for specific treatment, which is true in enough cases that the American Psychological Association (APA) concluded in their 2005 Council on Children, Adolescents and Their Families that "brain imaging to study psychiatric disorders is still considered a research tool."

In summary, a study of HU-210, not marijuana, which is chemically similar, but much less THC-potent, found some positive effects on rats' brains. Not only is it incorrect to apply the findings of the HU-210 study to marijuana, but it is reckless given that there is evidence from brain scans studied over three decades that marijuana use causes brain damage in humans.

Christopher Pascale, Picture This Photography

Christopher Pascale - Christopher Pascale is an accountant from Long Island, NY

Comments

May 18, 2009 3:17 PM

Guest :

Why don't you post a picture from the same angle? The comparison shows a view of the healthy brain from the top-view but shows the unhealthy brain scan from the roof of the mouth, a totally different view. If you are going to report on this, at least be truthful and honest. This is clearly a deception in reporting.

May 18, 2009 10:52 PM

Christopher Pascale :

These photos are both from a top view. As I said in the article, they are SPECT scans and it would be rather unusual for the doctors at the Amen Clinic to take their photos while using someone's mouth as a platform.

On that same note, it would be something more likely out of "Ripley's Believe it or Not" for there to be a patient who could accommodate such a request.

May 19, 2009 12:49 PM

Guest :

Funny how marijuana has been criminalized for over 70 years and they are finally presenting minute evidence that there is SOME negative effects. This is the first shred of evidence to justify it being 'illegal'.

I wonder what evidence would turn up when the same research is applied to those who use prescription and other pharmaceutical drugs; ones in which HAVE been deemed "beneficial for us". And for this single study, there are thousands more that prove alcohol is worse than marijuana. And therein lies the pro-pot crowd's biggest beef; the legal issues.

--'Don't tell me I can't use pot when bars are allowed to endlessly serve alcohol; enough of which can actually kill someone through consumption alone'

Oct 30, 2009 3:53 PM

Guest :

show me his brain before he smoked... could be someone with multiple issues.
ty ty

Mar 20, 2010 4:17 PM

Guest :

This article is complete bullocks!
There is research published in neuroscience journal that says cannibinoids are "potent antioxidant" in the form of being a neuroprotectant.
This is a pharm website *go figure*.

Mar 20, 2010 4:18 PM

Guest :

I agree I don't trust this article it seems to just be siding with the pharm companies.

Apr 21, 2010 8:35 PM

Guest :

this is crap im a doctor, and these "facts" caused me laughs

May 27, 2010 4:38 PM

Guest :

Actually the picture of the marijuana brain IS from the bottom. See the original article:

http://www.amenclinics.com/brain-science/spect-image-gallery/spect-atlas/ images-of-alcohol-and-drug-abuse/

The caption under the picture says "18 y/o – 3 year history of 4 x week use/underside surface view/decreased pfc and temporal lobe activity"

Also, notice that in the original article, the person whose brain was subjected to "ten years of mostly weekend use" of marijuana seems to have more brain damage than the person whose brain was subjected to "twelve years of daily use." This makes little sense.

I would appreciate a response to this comment Mr. Pascale.

May 27, 2010 5:03 PM

Christopher Pascale :

Thanks for catching that. I went to the link to read it over and was surprised that I missed the underside caption.

In response to what you said makes "little sense," if you scroll a little bit down on that same article you'll see a section about the effects of off and on use of marijuana.

The topside photos show the calming effect of THC on the brain (they might be new) which would explain why they use underside photos for showing damage of most substances and neuroses.

Jul 7, 2010 9:13 PM

Guest :

To the Dr. who commented on Apr 21, did your schooling not enforce grammar skills, or is English your second language?

Aug 20, 2010 10:42 AM

Guest :

While I personally hate marijuana, we've taken too hard of a stance against it as a nation. Smoking and drinking do more harm than pot.

Feb 15, 2011 2:13 PM

Guest :

I don't understand why they say pot is bad for you in the first place. The rest of the drugs that r out there are more harmful to your body and brain then pot is. If pot is so bad for you then why was it around before most of us on this earth. So just saying i started smoking weed at the age of 8 and i'm 28 now so your pretty much telling me that my brain would look worse then what you guys are saying about some one that has only smoked it for three years 4x a week. I think this is a crock of crap.

Feb 20, 2011 2:56 PM

Guest :

The most important point about any of this is whether or not marijuana causes brain damage. Without direct experience, in depth knowledge and contact with the researchers and the materials and method you cannot make any judgements about any of this.
But why I am on the internet searching for information is because I need to know if there is any way to repair the damage done to my son's brain. My son who is now 19, started smoking marijuana at the age of 15. Before he smoked he was a sensitive, gentle boy of high intelligence ( IQ 136) considerate and very personable. He became addicted to marijuana, something I did not know was possible but having witnessed it myself now believe it. He shunned most other drugs as "unnatural" but did drink alcohol as well. Within 2 and 1/2 years, he became a thieving, antisocial paranoid psychotic with a daily habit of smoking multiple times a day. When taken from marijuana for more than a few days would become violent and eventually was so violent and psychotic he was involuntarily admitted to a mental institution. He has now been through rehab and is in recovery after a few false starts. He has stopped all drugs and alcohol, cigarettes and has become dedicated to a cleaner body. Thanks to amino acid therapy, he is no longer paranoid and violent but without the therapy I do not think he could function even somewhat normally. He has certainly not returned to normal or his pre-drugs self. His behaviour is bizarre and abnormal. Many people think he is much younger than his actual age. He lacks any social skills, has poor memory, long lag times in his response to conversations, makes inappropriate remarks, and is generally weird. It is as if he is mentally retarded- which I suppose what the brain damage due to marijuana use has done.
He has had the SPECT scans done and there are large 'holes' in his brain scan. Unfortunately we do not have a base line scan to compare it to but the damage from his marijuana abuse is quite evident as he did not have any other brain traumas that could have caused the extensive damage.
I am looking for anyone who can direct me to therapy or treatment that can help him to recover brain function. I do not want him to spend his life retarded. BUt please please believe that brain damage from marijuana abuse is real and a real problem. It may be that the higher potency of the marijuana is the cause because I was a marijuana smoker in my youth and I don't believe it was as potent then as it is now.

Feb 20, 2011 9:13 PM

Christopher Pascale :

That is a terrible story, and I'm so sorry for the pain your son's substance abuse has brought upon you. Along with all of the smoking your son did, brain damage could have also been caused by other substances to cut the marijuana down. A heavy user such as himself would not be the kind of buyer his dealer would sell pure pot to if he could help it.

To answer your Q, a video of Dr. Amen's work that I saw did actually show that neurons can reconnect over time. Will your son be like he was? Given that he was a teenager and now he's a young man, I would say no. Will he fulfill the potential he had when his brain was undamaged? No, but he could achieve something better than he would have before. There's really no telling.

Mar 19, 2011 8:21 AM

Guest :

To the person above asking about his sons condition or whatever it is....Ive known SOO many people who smoke marijuana and i have not met one single person who went through that much change in there life, could it be he was actully on other drugs? Did you even get him tested for other drugs? It could also be the people he hung around with....All im saying is maybe you made a big deal out of nothing, you could have put more stress on your son about your concern that he took it negative, and did not know how to react, afterall he was a teenager, some of the most difficult years of your life.

May 27, 2011 3:19 PM

Guest :

I would like to contact the woman who has her son damaged by marihuana use. I am experiencing the same symptoms with my son. Doctor has ordered the spect exams.He is now medicated and he is only 16 yrs old. He used to be a loving happy son, A student, wonderful brother, etc. The side effects of this drug has ruined our son. He is now paranoid and angry. Mi mail is miferran@hotmail.com I am also looking for ways to repair the damaged caused. Thank you

Jul 8, 2011 3:05 PM

Guest :

http://amenclinics.com/brain-science/spect-image-gallery/spect-atlas/images -of-alcohol-and-drug-abuse/

17 Comments