Are cannabinoid drugs neurotoxic or neuroprotective?

Medical Hypotheses
Yosef Sarne, Ora Keren

Abstract

Chronic exposure to cannabinoids was shown to induce long lasting impairment of learning and memory, which was accompanied by morphological damage to the brain. On the other hand, several studies have shown that cannabinoids can protect from various brain traumas. This enigmatic dualism is explained herein by a comprehensive hypothesis, which is based on our recent in vitro studies and on pharmacokinetic in vivo considerations. The hypothesis predicts that low concentrations of cannabinoids will be neurotoxic while high concentrations of the drugs will protect from neuronal damage, and suggests that chronic administration of cannabinoids will induce neuronal death, while their acute administration will protect the brain. We further propose straight forward experiments, both in vivo (animal models for brain damage) and in vitro (cell death in neuronal cultures) to verify this hypothesis. The outcome of these experiments may have practical applications when considering the use of cannabinoids as therapeutic agents and in evaluating the consequences of their use as recreational drugs.

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Citations

Jun 16, 2011·The International Journal of Neuroscience·Henrik Hasseldam, Flemming Fryd Johansen
Nov 10, 2006·Neuroscience Letters·Isabella TselnickerYosef Sarne
Feb 18, 2011·British Journal of Pharmacology·Yosef SarneOra Keren
Apr 20, 2005·Brain Research. Molecular Brain Research·Jia ChenWilliam J Freed
Oct 22, 2013·Neurobiology of Disease·Ramiro González-Aparicio, Rosario Moratalla
Jan 23, 2008·Journal of Psychopharmacology·J E Fisk, C Montgomery
Mar 27, 2018·European Journal of Clinical Investigation·Edward J Calabrese, Alberto Rubio-Casillas
Aug 18, 2006·Human Psychopharmacology·John E FiskPhilip N Murphy
Mar 14, 2019·The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse·Yosef Sarne
Oct 9, 2021·Experimental Neurology·Catharine Montgomery, Carl A Roberts

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