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Could marijuana prevent post-traumatic stress disorder?

Category: General Health

The use of cannabinoids, such as marijuana, could foster the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), according to recent research.

A new study, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, was designed to investigate the effects of cannabinoids on post-traumatic stress by administering doses of a synthetic form of marijuana to rats, which exhibit physiological responses to stress that are similar to humans'.

Researchers from the University of Haifa's Department of Psychology first determined how long it took for rats to overcome a traumatic and stressful experience by placing the rats on small, elevated platforms and administering light electric shocks. The scientists measured the duration of stress as the time it took for the rats to move from a white tiled area, to black tiles, which they are known to prefer.

Subsequently, the researchers found that the stressed rats moved to the black tiles more quickly when they were injected with the synthetic marijuana at any point during the traumatic event.

"The results of our research should encourage psychiatric investigation into the use of cannabinoids in post-traumatic stress patients," said Dr Irit Akirav, the lead researcher.

According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms of PTSD include upsetting dreams, emotional numbness, memory problems and difficulty sleeping.