Study finds marijuana use leads to brain development in rats

October 15, 2005 

In the November issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, 
researchers announce that they have found that cannabinoids promoted a generation of new neurons in rats' hippocampi. The study held true for both a plant-derived and a synthetic cannabinoid. The hippocampus is a part of the brain that contributes to learning and memory. In particular, it has been shown that the hippocampus is essential for the formation of new episodic memories. 
"This is quite a surprise, chronic use of marijuana may actually improve learning memory when the new neurons in the hippocampus can mature in two or three months," said Xia Zhang, with the Neuropsychiatry Research Unit of the University of Saskatchewan.
Study finds marijuana use leads to brain development in rats October 15 , 2005 In the November issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation , researchers announce that they have found that cannabinoids promoted a generation of new neurons in rats ' hippocampi . The study held true for both a plant - derived and a synthetic cannabinoid . The hippocampus is a part of the brain that contributes to learning and memory . In particular , it has been shown that the hippocampus is essential for the formation of new episodic memories . " This is quite a surprise , chronic use of marijuana may actually improve learning memory when the new neurons in the hippocampus can mature in two or three months , " said Xia Zhang , with the Neuropsychiatry Research Unit of the University of Saskatchewan .
Study
np0
marijuana use
np1
brain development
np2
rats
np3
the November issue
np4
the Journal of Clinical Investigation
np5
researchers
np6
they
np7
cannabinoids
np8
a generation
np9
new neurons
np10
rats' hippocampi
np11
The study
np12
a synthetic cannabinoid
np13
The hippocampus
np14
a part
np15
the brain
np16
learning
np17
memory
np18
the hippocampus
np19
the formation
np20
new episodic memories
np21
quite a surprise
np22
chronic use
np23
marijuana
np24
memory
np25
the new neurons
np26
the hippocampus
np27
two or three months
np28
Xia Zhang
np29
the Neuropsychiatry Research Unit
np30
the University of Saskatchewan
np31