JD Vance is a marijuana prohibitionist

Ohio Republican Senator JD Vance is running his Vice-Presidential campaign on an anti-marijuana platform that promotes old and worn-out fallacies about cannabis that were debunked before he was born.

Vance says marijuana causes violence and that it bears a direct relationship to violent crime, despite numerous refutations from historical and scientific studies. His attitude toward marijuana is depicted in a movie made of his life and directed by Ron Howard, Hillbilly Elegy, that portrays his mother’s heroin addiction. The picture’s focus is on her drug use rather than any information that might be useful in determining her overall mental condition. A mental disorder could explain her non-drug-related misbehavior in addition to her drug problem. Based on her movie depiction, one possible diagnosis might be bipolar disorder.

The movie script also reinforces a common marijuana myth. It has young JD refusing to try marijuana while telling his teenage stepbrother that marijuana is a gateway drug. If a gateway exists, it is drug illegality, not another drug. Legal alcohol or legal aspirin alone typically do not lead to heroin use. Illegal connections are needed to buy heroin.

Being anti-marijuana doesn’t benefit Senator Vance now that his home state of Ohio has legal recreational weed. His emphasis on prohibition alienates voters when he says that immigrants smuggle fentanyl into the U.S. where it’s used as a genocidal weapon aimed at MAGAs, and that Joe Biden ordered it to happen with his open border policies.

Senator Vance ignores the fact that fentanyl and methamphetamine trafficking arrests consist primarily of red state American citizens who own the expensive equipment and connections needed to move contraband. Given the lure of easy drug money, and with immigrants conveniently shouldering the blame for smuggled drugs, immigration is not their immediate concern. However, by linking legal or illegal immigrants to fentanyl ODs in the U.S., Vance promotes Donald Trump’s anti-immigrant policies and the building of Trump’s ill-fated border wall.

Political novices and science illiterate demagogues like JD Vance are encouraged by moral mythologies that reinforce tribal fears of the other, and with it a fanatical desire to magically simplify political and social issues by prohibiting marijuana or supporting and voting tyrants into public office. Vance doesn’t get the idea that tyranny never lasts, that old tyrants die off, that the Big Lie has a time limit, and that it’s difficult in a democracy to predict how long a big lie will be believed. The shelf life of marijuana fallacies expired decades ago. Recent Pew Research polls indicate 88-percent of Americans believe marijuana should be legal for medical or recreational use.

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14 Responses to JD Vance is a marijuana prohibitionist

  1. Vance sounds a lot like that violent thug Jeff Landry. Landry used to be a narcotics officer and sheriff’s deputy, which should tell you that he is unfit for office.

  2. Servetus says:

    CBD alleviated symptoms of Leigh syndrome in a study done at the University of Barcelona:

    6-Sep-2024 — …daily administration of cannabidiol (CBD), a substance obtained from the cannabis plant, extends lifespan and improves symptoms associated with Leigh syndrome. This severe mitochondrial disease affecting children is characterised by a progressive decline in cognitive and motor functions and premature death. The research group also demonstrated in both mice and fibroblasts from children with the disease that CBD improves cellular function.

    Leigh syndrome is a rare mitochondrial disease particularly affecting the organs and tissues that require most energy: the muscles and nervous system. It is characterized by progressive neuromuscular decline and premature death, and there are currently no approved treatments. That is why it is urgent to find a solution for patients suffering from this disease. […]

    …daily administration of CBD is a promising treatment option. Through its multiple action it provides antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticonvulsant effects, which improve the symptomatology and help recover cell functions in patients. The study was conducted with two different Leigh syndrome mouse models, as well as with fibroblast cells from patients.

    The results revealed that CBD acts at many levels within the cell, including activating a protein inside the cell nucleus known as PPARγ. This protein regulates the expression of many genes involved in the immune response, oxidation and mitochondrial function, and has been seen to be altered by the disease. Moreover, CBD increases the expression of the metallothionein protein, which enhances its antioxidant response.

    In the animal models, cannabidiol administration improved neuropathology in the affected brain regions, breathing abnormalities and social deficits, and also delayed motor decline and neurodegenerative signs. In addition, mice receiving treatment lived significantly longer than those with no treatment. In the fibroblast cells from patients, CBD improved their antioxidant processes.

    “The benefits we observed, together with CBD’s safe and well-tolerated profile, show it to be a truly promising treatment for patients with Leigh syndrome”, explains Dr. Albert Quintana, researcher at the INc-UAB and lecturer in the Department of Cellular Biology, Physiology and Immunology at the UAB.

    AAAS Public Science News Release: Cannabidiol demonstrated to alleviate symptoms of Leigh syndrome

    Nature Communications: Cannabidiol ameliorates mitochondrial disease via PPARγ activation in preclinical models

    Authors: Emma Puighermanal, Marta Luna-Sánchez, Alejandro Gella, Gunter van der Walt, Andrea Urpi, María Royo, Paula Tena-Morraja, Isabella Appiah, Maria Helena de Donato, Fabien Menardy, Patrizia Bianchi, Anna Esteve-Codina, Laura Rodríguez-Pascau, Cristina Vergara, Mercè Gómez-Pallarès, Giovanni Marsicano, Luigi Bellocchio, Marc Martinell, Elisenda Sanz, Sandra Jurado, Francesc Xavier Soriano, Pilar Pizcueta & Albert Quintana.

  3. Servetus says:

    21.9-percent of fatal drug ODs in 2022 were among people with a diagnosable mental health disorder:

    August 29, 2024 — ABSTRACT: Drug overdose deaths remain a public health crisis in the United States; nearly 107,000 and nearly 108,000 deaths occurred in 2021 and 2022, respectively. Persons with mental health conditions are at increased risk for overdose. In addition, substance use disorders and non–substance-related mental health disorders (MHDs) frequently co-occur. Using data from CDC’s State Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting System, this report describes characteristics of persons in 43 states and the District of Columbia who died of unintentional or undetermined intent drug overdose and had any MHD. In 2022, 21.9% of persons who died of drug overdose had a reported MHD. Using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition criteria, the most frequently reported MHDs were depressive (12.9%), anxiety (9.4%), and bipolar (5.9%) disorders. Overall, approximately 80% of overdose deaths involved opioids, primarily illegally manufactured fentanyls. Higher proportions of deaths among decedents with an MHD involved antidepressants (9.7%) and benzodiazepines (15.3%) compared with those without an MHD (3.3% and 8.5%, respectively). Nearly one quarter of decedents with an MHD had at least one recent potential opportunity for intervention (e.g., approximately one in 10 decedents were undergoing substance use disorder treatment, and one in 10 visited an emergency department or urgent care facility within 1 month of death). Expanding efforts to identify and address co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders (e.g., integrated screening and treatment) and strengthen treatment retention and harm reduction services could save lives. […]

    Morbidity and Mortality Report: Reported Non–Substance-Related Mental Health Disorders Among Persons Who Died of Drug Overdose — United States, 2022

    Authors: Amanda T. Dinwiddie, MPH; Stephanie Gupta, MPH; Christine L. Mattson, PhD; Julie O’Donnell, PhD; Puja Seth, PhD.

  4. Servetus says:

    Neural pathways are elucidated that explain morphine’s strong analgesic effect:

    30-AUG-2024 — Opioids have been used for medicinal and recreational purposes for millennia. They constitute a broad group of pain-relieving medicines, which includes morphine, that remain effective treatments for managing pain today. Opioids attach to opioid receptors in brain cells, not only blocking pain messages but also boosting feelings of pleasure. As a result, the use of opioids for pain relief has led to growing dependence, abuse, overdose, and death. Insight into the cells and neural pathways that provide pain relief is needed to explain how morphine can have such a powerful analgesic effect as well as how they differ from neurons and pathways eliciting feelings of euphoria, well-being, and addiction. […]

    We found that the RVM consists of multiple molecular types of γ-aminobutyric acid–mediated (GABAergic) neurons as well as a few types of glutamatergic and serotonergic neurons. Among these, morphine activated a select set of neurons, which together formed a “morphine ensemble.” Synthetic activation of the genetically captured morphine ensemble produced mechanical pain relief, mimicking the effects of morphine, and its inactivation completely abolished the effects of morphine on pain. […]

    We discovered that neural activity alone in the RVM induces the key features of morphine-induced mechanical pain relief, and when this activity is inhibited, morphine has little effect. Pain relief is mediated by glutamatergic RVMBDNF neurons projecting to inhibitory SCGal neurons, which attenuate incoming pain signaling in the spinal cord on the way to the brain. Within this circuit, BDNF is an essential component modulating neurotransmission. Finding the molecular identity of neurons that regulate morphine-induced mechanical antinociception advances the search for alternative therapeutic strategies to provide pain relief across various pain conditions. […]

    Science: Morphine-responsive neurons that regulate mechanical antinociception

    Authors: Michael P. Fatt, Ming-Dong Zhang, Jussi Kupari, Müge Altınkök, Yunting Yang, Yizhou Hu, Per Svenningsson, and Patrik Ernfors.

  5. Servetus says:

    Researchers from the Nanjing Agricultural University Academy of Science have discovered a gene in marijuana that regulates the quantity of flowering sites on the plant:

    10-Sep-2024 — Scientists have identified a crucial gene, CsMIKC1, that controls the number of flowering sites in Cannabis sativa, a finding that could significantly enhance both medicinal and grain yields. The study reveals how CsMIKC1 drives inflorescence development, offering new pathways to boost productivity in Cannabis cultivation. Through gene editing and functional analysis, the researchers demonstrated the gene’s impact on flower production, highlighting its potential to transform agricultural practices. This breakthrough sets the stage for developing high-yielding Cannabis strains tailored for both medical and industrial use. […]

    The study identifies CsMIKC1, a MIKC-type MADS-box transcription factor, as a pivotal regulator of inflorescence development in Cannabis sativa. Using CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing, the team examined how CsMIKC1 mutations and over-expression influence flower and grain production. Their findings offer fresh insights into the genetic architecture of inflorescence, underscoring the gene’s significant role in enhancing crop yields and presenting new avenues for genetic improvement. […]

    The researchers also found that CsMIKC1 is influenced by ethylene signaling pathways, as seen in the reduced ethylene sensitivity of CsBPC2 mutants. Applying external ethylene stimulated CsMIKC1 expression, enhancing flower production and suggesting practical applications in commercial Cannabis farming. By identifying key genes regulated by CsMIKC1, the study maps a comprehensive genetic network governing inflorescence formation, offering critical insights for future crop enhancement strategies. […]

    AAAS Public Science News Release: Boosting cannabis production: The science behind bud abundance

    Horticulture Research: CsMIKC1 regulates inflorescence development and grain production in Cannabis sativa plants

    Authors: Gencheng Xu, Yongbei Liu, Shuhao Yu, Dejing Kong, Kailei Tang, Zhigang Dai, Jian Sun, Chaohua Cheng, Canhui Deng, Zemao Yang, Qing Tang, Chao Li, Jianguang Su, Xiaoyu Zhang.

  6. Servetus says:

    Millions of people with clinical depression could benefit from psilocybin therapy if approved by the FDA:

    13-Sep-2024 — Atlanta, Georgia – In the wake of mounting evidence for the efficacy of psychedelic-assisted therapies, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is considering approving psilocybin, the active ingredient in “magic mushrooms,” for treating depression in the near future. As this watershed moment approaches, a critical question arises: Just how many people might stand to benefit from this promising but still unproven therapy? […]

    By analyzing national survey data on depression prevalence and treatment in conjunction with the eligibility criteria from recent landmark clinical trials, the researchers determined that between 56% and 62% of patients currently receiving treatment for depression—amounting to a staggering 5.1 to 5.6 million individuals—could qualify for psilocybin therapy if approved. […]

    The researchers caution that these projections are highly contingent on the precise FDA approval parameters and subsequent real-world implementation factors. Insurance coverage decisions, availability of trained practitioners, and regional variations in access could all considerably constrain the ultimate uptake of psilocybin therapy. Additionally, if approval encompasses off-label use for conditions beyond depression, demand could further surge in unpredictable ways.

    “While our analysis is a crucial first step, we’ve only scratched the surface in understanding the true public health impact psilocybin therapy may have,” said Dr. Charles Raison, a collaborator on the study and the lead investigator on one of the largest clinical trials looking at the efficacy of psilocybin therapy for depression. […]

    AAAS Public Science News Release: Millions of depressed Americans could benefit from psychedelic therapy, study finds–new analysis reveals over half of patients treated for depression may be eligible for psilocybin-assisted therapy if FDA-approved

  7. Servetus says:

    CBD causes 100% mortality against pesticide-resistant Yellow Fever mosquito larvae:

    18-Sep-2024 — COLUMBUS, Ohio – As part of the race to combat global insecticide resistance, new research shows that the same CBD people use to treat a variety of ailments is also extremely effective at killing mosquito larvae.

    The study, published in the journal Insects, found that hemp leaf extract – which contains the active ingredient cannabidiol, or CBD – kills mosquito larvae from two different strains of the yellow fever mosquito within 48 hours, one that was resistant to typical insecticides and another that was not.

    “Mosquitoes are one of the deadliest animals in the world, mainly because as adults they serve as vectors of disease,” said Erick Martinez Rodriguez, lead author of the study and a graduate student in entomology at The Ohio State University. “It’s very important to be able to control these pests at an early stage, when they are at the most vulnerable.” […]

    To test hemp’s toxic effects against mosquito larvae, the team took air-dried hemp leaves, pulverized them into a fine powder and soaked the material in methanol for a few weeks to reach the desired CBD concentrations.

    The methanol was later removed from the solution to make it easier to chemically analyze, resulting in an extract that was eventually given to the larvae with their food.

    Depending on the concentration of hemp extract used, the team discovered that the hemp leaf was potent enough to be equally toxic to both strains of mosquito larvae. What was surprising, though, said Martinez Rodriguez, was the small amount needed to be so deadly.

    “If you compare the amount of hemp extract needed to kill 50% of the population to other synthetic conventional insecticides, it is on the high side, but when you compare it side-by-side to other natural extracts we have tested in our lab, only a relatively low amount is required to produce high mortality values in larvae,” said Martinez Rodriguez. While CBD eventually led to 100% mortality for the larvae, different concentrations of the hemp extract caused different mortality rates in the hours leading up to that time. […]

    Since hemp is also a more sustainable crop than many other plant alternatives, insecticide products that use it could potentially be produced relatively cheaply, said Martinez Rodriguez. […]

    AAAS Public Science News Release: Hemp shows high promise as potential natural insecticide — CBD causes 100% mortality against pesticide-resistant mosquito larvae

    Insects: Larvicidal Activity of Hemp Extracts and Cannabidiol against the Yellow Fever Mosquito Aedes aegypti

    Authors: Erick J. Martínez Rodríguez, P. Larry Phelan, Luis Canas, Nuris Acosta, Harinantenaina L. Rakotondraibe and Peter M. Piermarini.

  8. Servetus says:

    Cannabis as a treatment for migraine headaches proves superior in testing to placebos:

    9-SEP-2024 — Preclinical and retrospective studies suggest possible benefits of cannabinoids for migraine treatment. However, this has not been studied in randomised controlled trials (RCTs). We assessed the efficacy of vaporized D9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD), and THC+CBD versus placebo for acute migraine treatment in an RCT.

    Methods: This is a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial conducted in the outpatient setting at an American academic medical center. Participants were adults ages 21-65 with migraine. Participants treated up to 4 separate migraine attacks, 1 each with vaporized 1) 6% D9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC-dominant); 2) 11% cannabidiol (CBD-dominant); 3) 6% THC+11% CBD; and 4) placebo cannabis flower. Treatment order was randomly assigned (1:1:1:1) by a research pharmacist. Participants, investigators, and research coordinators were masked to group assignment. Participants reported outcomes using a smartphone application. Washout period between treated attack was ≥1 week. Primary endpoint was pain relief and secondary endpoints were pain freedom and most bothersome symptom (MBS) freedom, all assessed 2 hours post-vaporization.

    Findings: Ninety-two participants were enrolled and randomised, and 247 migraine attacks were treated. THC+CBD was superior to placebo at achieving 2-hour pain relief (67.2% vs 46.6%, Odds Ratio [95% Confidence Interval] 2.85 [1.22, 6.65], p=0.016), pain freedom (34.5% vs. 15.5%, 3.30 [1.24, 8.80], p=0.017) and MBS freedom (60.3% vs. 34.5%, 3.32 [1.45, 7.64], p=0.005), as well as sustained pain freedom at 24 hours and sustained MBS freedom at 24 and 48 hours. THC-dominant was superior to placebo for 2-hour pain relief (68.9% vs. 46.6%, 3.14 [1.35, 7.30], p=0.008) but not pain freedom or MBS freedom. CBD-dominant was not superior to placebo for 2-hour pain relief, pain freedom or MBS freedom. There were no serious adverse events.

    Interpretation: Acute migraine treatment with 6% THC+11% CBD was superior to placebo at 2 hours post-vaporization with sustained benefits at 24 and 48 hours. […]

    The Lancet: Vaporized Cannabis Versus Placebo for the Acute Treatment of Migraine: A Randomised, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial

  9. Servetus says:

    Psychedelic experiences are linked to longer and more effective relief from depression as well as better sexual function when compared to a standard SSRI anti-depressant:

    21-Sep-2024 — A direct comparison between the experimental psychedelic drug psilocybin and a standard SSRI antidepressant shows similar improvement of depressive symptoms, but that psilocybin offers additional longer-term benefits.

    The comparison, between psilocybin (the active ingredient in “magic mushrooms”) and the SSRI escitalopram gave similar long-term improvements in depressive symptoms over a 6-month period, however patients taking psilocybin also reported better psychosocial functioning including experiencing a greater sense of meaning in life and psychological connectedness. […]

    “This is the first work to compare the long-term effects of these two drugs in the context of overall well-being, not just freedom from depression. In previous work we had found that both treatments led to comparable improvements in alleviating symptoms of depression at the 6-week mark, such as sadness and negative emotions. However, this work shows that psilocybin outperformed escitalopram in several measures of well-being, meaning in life, work and social functioning. These results appeared to be maintained over a 6-month follow-up period. In addition, in previous work* we had found that psilocybin also improves sexual drive, in contrast to SSRIs which tend to lower libido in many patients. So overall it seems psilocybin might give additional positive mental health benefits.” […]

    The researchers, from Imperial College in London, undertook a 6-month study (phase 2, double-blind, randomised controlled trial) with 59 patients with moderate to severe depression. 30 were treated with a single dose of psilocybin, 29 patients were given a six-week course of escitalopram. Each group received similar psychological support of around 20 hours in total. Both groups showed significant improvement in depressive symptoms, even up to 6 months after treatment (the researchers stopped monitoring at 6 months). However those given psilocybin reported greater improvements in social functioning and psychological connectedness, with large effect sizes. […]

    AAAS Public Science News Release: Study shows psychedelic drug psilocybin gives comparable long-term antidepressant effects to standard antidepressants, but may offer additional benefits — Psilocybin as good as SSRI for depression, but doesn’t lower sex drive, gives better sense of well-being and psychosocial functioning

    Authors: David Erritzoe, Tommaso Barba, Kyle T. Greenway, Roberta Murphy, Jonny Martell, Bruna Giribaldi, Christopher Timmermann, Ashleigh Murphy-Beiner, Michelle Baker Jones, David Nutt, Brandon Weiss, and Robin Carhart-Harris.

  10. Servetus says:

    A psychedelic (DOI) is shown to reduce anxiety in mice and rats by affecting the ventral hippocampus:

    24-SEP-2024 — …an international team of researchers, including at Cornell and the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in India, showed that the psychedelic DOI (2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine) lessened anxiety in mice and rats while activating the ventral hippocampus and so-called fast-spiking interneurons there.

    “The work provides an understanding of the cellular trigger for the psychedelic-induced relief of anxiety,” said Vidita Vaidya, senior professor of biological sciences at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in Mumbai. […]

    The pathway in the ventral hippocampus – a brain structure involved in social memory, emotion and affect – does not appear to cause the hallucinations that are a hallmark of DOI, suggesting that some of the therapeutic effects of psychedelics – including reducing PTSD, depression and anxiety – may be isolated within discrete brain circuits. […]

    Psychedelics have shown potential for treating general anxiety and associated panic attacks. Prolonged use of the conventional anxiety therapy, a drug called benzodiazepine, can damage the brain and lead to dependence.

    “It hasn’t been known what brain areas and cell types are involved when psychedelics suppress anxiety,” said Alex Kwan, associate professor of biomedical engineering at Cornell Engineering and a senior author of the study, which published Sept. 24 in the journal Neuron. “The idea is that if we know the neurobiology involved, we can design some better drug that would target these pathways.” […]

    “The work provides an understanding of the cellular trigger for the psychedelic-induced relief of anxiety,…The pathway in the ventral hippocampus – a brain structure involved in social memory, emotion and affect – does not appear to cause the hallucinations that are a hallmark of DOI, suggesting that some of the therapeutic effects of psychedelics – including reducing PTSD, depression and anxiety – may be isolated within discrete brain circuits,” Vaidya said. […]

    Cornell Chronicle: Psychedelics excite cells in hippocampus to reduce anxiety

    Neuron: Ventral hippocampal parvalbumin interneurons gate the acute anxiolytic action of the serotonergic psychedelic DOI

    Authors: Praachi Tiwari1, Pasha A. Davoudian, Darshana Kapri1, Ratna Mahathi Vuruputuri, Lindsay A. Karaba, Mukund Sharma1, Giulia Zanni, Angarika Balakrishnan, Pratik R. Chaudhari, Amartya Pradhan, Shital Suryavanshil, Kevin G. Bath, Mark S. Ansorge, Antonio Fernandez-Ruiz, Alex C. Kwan, Vidita A. Vaidya.

  11. Servetus says:

    Magic mushrooms change the brain to alleviate body dysmorphic disorder (BDD).

    24-Sep-2024 – New York, NY – Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a debilitating mental illness characterized by an obsessive preoccupation with perceived flaws in one’s physical appearance. Patients with BDD often have distorted self-image, intrusive thoughts, and compulsive behaviors that significantly impair daily functioning and quality of life. Current therapies have limited efficacy, leaving many sufferers without relief. […]

    In the pilot trial, eight adults with moderate-to-severe BDD that had not responded to standard treatments received a single 25mg oral dose of psilocybin in a supportive setting. Using cutting-edge functional MRI technology, the scientists scanned the participants’ brains one day before and one day after the psilocybin session. Sophisticated pattern analysis techniques were then applied to map changes in brain network connectivity and link them to subsequent clinical outcomes.

    The results were striking: Just one day after psilocybin administration, the patients exhibited increased connectivity both within a network governing executive functions, and between this network and others involved in processing emotionally salient stimuli and self-referential thinking. Notably, those who showed the greatest strengthening of these neural connections also experienced the most improvement in BDD symptoms one week later.

    While preliminary, the findings align with a growing body of evidence indicating that psychedelic compounds like psilocybin can promote mental health by enhancing the brain’s capacity for flexibility and integration. By facilitating communication within and between brain networks that are often dysregulated in psychiatric disorders, psilocybin may help restore more adaptive cognitive and emotional functioning. […]

    AAAS Public Science News Release: Psychedelic drug psilocybin changes brain connectivity to treat body dysmorphic disorder — Columbia University researchers uncover how a single dose of “magic mushrooms” changes brain connectivity to alleviate symptoms of the devastating mental illness

    Genomic Press-Psychedelics: Single-dose psilocybin alters resting state functional networks in patients with body dysmorphic disorder

    Authors: Xi Zhu, Chen Zhang, David Hellerstein, Jamie D. Feusner, Michael G. Wheaton, Gloria J. Gomez, and Franklin Schneier.

  12. Servetus says:

    Researchers at UC San Diego reverse the ill effects of meth and PCP on the brain using clozapine:

    26-Sep-2024 — Scientists in the Department of Neurobiology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, investigated how methamphetamine and phencyclidine (PCP or “angel dust”), which take effect by activating different targets in the brain, induce a [loss of memory and a] reduction in cognitive ability. How could the same difficulties in memory emerge in response to drugs that trigger different actions in the brain? […]

    Neurotransmitter switching is a form of brain plasticity, an evolving area of research investigating how the brain changes function and structure in response to experience. In recent years, Spitzer and his colleagues have also identified roles for neurotransmitter switching in autism spectrum disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and in exercise.

    Examining the cerebral cortex of mice, the investigators found that meth and PCP each caused a switch from the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate to the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) in the same neurons in the prelimbic region, an area of the frontal cortex involved in executive functions. This switch was linked to a decrease in memory task performance since drug-treated mice performed well in the tasks when the expression of GABA was blocked.

    Further experiments showed that even after repeated exposure to the drugs, the researchers were able to reverse this neurotransmitter switch using molecular tools to locally decrease the brain’s electrical activity or using clozapine, an antipsychotic drug. Each of these treatments reversed the memory loss, restoring the performance of mice in the cognitive tasks. […]

    In this new study, the researchers found that a drug-induced increase in the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter involved in reward, and an increase in the electrical activity of neurons in the cerebral cortex, were required to produce the neurotransmitter switch.

    “This study reveals a shared and reversible mechanism that regulates the appearance of cognitive deficits upon exposure to different drugs,” said Spitzer.

    The researchers note in their paper that a deeper understanding of brain mechanisms tied to loss of memory from drug use could boost prospects for new treatments, not only resulting in therapy for meth and PCP consumption, but for other disorders as well. […]

    AAAS Public Science News Release: Cognitive deficits from meth and PCP use are generated by a common neurotransmitter switch — Neurobiologists reversed drug-induced impairments in memory by switching neurotransmitters back to their normal chemical states

    Nature Communications: Drug-induced change in transmitter identity is a shared mechanism generating cognitive deficits

    Authors: Marta Pratelli, Anna M. Hakimi, Arth Thaker, Hyeonseok Jang, Hui-quan Li, Swetha K. Godavarthi, Byung Kook Lim & Nicholas C. Spitzer.

  13. Servetus says:

    The brain pathways targeted by the psychedelic DOI that reduce anxiety have been revealed by researchers at TIFR Mumbai, Cornell, Colombia and Yale:

    3-Oct-2024 — …there has been a renewal of interest in psychedelics given putative therapeutic effects in psychiatric disorders such as anxiety and depression. However, it has remained a mystery as to how psychedelics actually bring about changes in mood-related behavior. A team … mapped the precise part of the brain, and the specific class of neurons within this brain region, that drives the decrease in anxiety caused by acute treatment with the psychedelic DOI. […]

    …local infusions of the drug into targeted brain regions uncovered a critical role of the ventral hippocampus in mediating this effect of the psychedelic DOI. Further, the study uncovered that the psychedelic DOI targets the serotonin2A receptor in the ventral hippocampus to exert its effects on anxiety. At the same time, the team also ruled out contributions from other brain regions including the prefrontal cortex and amygdale. What was striking is that the ventral hippocampus while vital for the decrease in anxiety evoked by DOI, did not contribute to hallucinations, highlighting that psychedelics target different parts of the brain to drive many behavioral changes. […]

    AAAS Public Science News Release: Mapping the neurocircuit for the acute effects of psychedelics on anxiety

    Neuron: Ventral hippocampal parvalbumin interneurons gate the acute anxiolytic action of the serotonergic psychedelic DOI

    Praachi Tiwari1, Pasha A. Davoudian, Darshana Kapri, Ratna Mahathi Vuruputuri1, Lindsay A. Karaba, Mukund Sharma, Giulia Zanni, Angarika Balakrishnan, Pratik R. Chaudhari, Amartya Pradhan1, Shital Suryavanshi, Kevin G. Bath, Mark S. Ansorge, Antonio Fernandez-Ruiz, Alex C. Kwan,Vidita A. Vaidya.

  14. Servetus says:

    Dronabinol assists in reducing agitation in Alzheimer’s patients by 30-percent without the adverse effects of other medications that can result in delirium and seizures:

    2-Oct-2024 – In a study led by the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Tufts University School of Medicine, researchers show that a pill form of the drug dronabinol, an FDA-approved synthetic version of marijuana’s main ingredient, THC, reduces agitation in patients with Alzheimer’s by an average of 30%.

    The researchers say that compared to current treatments for agitation, such as antipsychotics, dronabinol produced similar calming effects without adverse results such as delirium or seizures.

    Results of the eight-year clinical trial were presented at the International Psychogeriatric Association conference in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Sept. 26. “These new findings represent eight years of work dedicated to people who have Alzheimer’s as well as their caregivers,” says Paul Rosenberg, M.D., professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and co-principal investigator for this study. “Agitation is one of the most distressing symptoms of Alzheimer’s dementia, and we are pleased to make positive strides forward in treatment of these patients.” […]

    Co-investigators include Halima Amjad, Haroon Burhanullah and Milap Nowrangi at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Marc Agronin at Miami Jewish Health, and James Wilkins and David Harper at McLean Hospital.

    The study was funded by a grant from the National Institute of Aging at the National Institutes of Health. […]

    AAAS Public Science News Release: Clinical trial shows synthetic cannabis reduces agitation in Alzheimer’s disease — synthetic THC (dronabinol) was well tolerated by patients without adverse effects often seen from current Alzheimer’s agitation medications

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