The 5 Most Fascinating Cannabis Research Studies of 2022

There has been a noticeable shift in the nature of cannabis research published in 2022. Reduced government research restrictions and improved global legalization efforts have both paved the way for new and exciting ways to study the plant and its complexities.

While exploring the independent effects of THC and CBD is still the focus of most studies, there is growing interest in commercially available cannabis products, whole plant extracts, and the effects of terpenes on brain function. Below are five fascinating cannabis research stories from the past year.

Terpenes, not THC levels, are the best predictors of how much you will enjoy a product

Many cannabis products are described by their cannabinoid content (e.g. THC or CBD), but the plant also produces hundreds of terpenes, aromatic compounds that give cannabis its unique smell and taste.

However, a recent study led by Arianne Wilson-Poe found that terpenes also have subjective appeal, determining the appeal of a particular flower or cannabis vape product. Scientists tested the attractiveness of a cannabis product to a person with a range of THC concentrations (from less than 0.3% to over 30%) in nearly 300 people over thousands of use sessions.

As THC concentrations increased in commercially available products, one could predict that THC concentration would directly correlate to a product’s overall effects, but this was not the case – there was no relationship between THC concentration, total cannabis dose, or potency total THC dose with subjective attraction. Instead, only the aroma that comes from the terpenes directly correlates to individuals’ attractiveness levels.

Therefore, a product’s smell is a better indicator of enjoyment than its THC content. These results underscore the importance of terpenes in the quality of a product and suggest that you don’t have to be overly stoned to have an enjoyable experience.

Related

What are cannabis terpenes and what do they do?

CBD does not necessarily make THC safer

In order to achieve the desired high, the optimal THC dose must be found. If you exceed it, problems can arise: memory is impaired, cognitive performance declines, and all in all, it’s just a less than pleasant experience.

A common belief is that CBD can mitigate the negative effects of THC. Therefore, products with a higher CBD to THC ratio were considered safer and result in fewer unwanted THC symptoms. Researchers conducted a double-blind experiment testing 46 cannabis users and eventually found this hypothesis to be inaccurate.

As it turned out, vaporized oils containing CBD to 10mg of THC in a 1:1, 2:1, or 3:1 ratio did not protect against the effects of THC on a number of measures. CBD levels also had no impact on the effects of THC, including getting stoned, impairments in working and long-term memory, increased pleasurable responses to music and chocolate, or effects on a range of physiological measures including blood pressure and heart rate.

These results suggest that incorporating CBD into THC products at a common recreational level may not provide a protective benefit against some of THC’s side effects. Perhaps even higher CBD:THC ratios can be effective, but to be confident, the safest strategy to avoid potentially adverse effects of THC is to limit the dose rather than masking it with CBD.

Related

The Complete Guide to CBD (Cannabidiol)

Benefits of Cannabis for the Aging Adult Brain

The strength of communication between different brain regions changes with age, contributing to age-related memory impairment and cognitive decline. Scientists in Colorado used functional neuroimaging to assess how regular cannabis use (at least once a week) in adults over the age of 60 changes the strength of communication between multiple brain regions, which normally decreases with age.

They found that older adults who used cannabis regularly had stronger communication patterns between three brain regions — the hippocampus, parahippocampal gyrus, and cerebellum — compared to older adults who did not use cannabis. The greater connectivity among older cannabis users was similar to that of much younger non-using adults and suggests that cannabis may protect against some of the age-related declines in brain function.

Although these results are not causal in nature as this was not a randomized controlled experiment, they provide some of the first human evidence to support observations from rodent studies that small amounts of regular cannabis use were protective against age-related brain changes and cognitive decline.

THC and CBD don’t tell the full story of effects

Commercial cannabis products are commonly labeled with THC and CBD levels to provide a prediction of how they will produce effects and affect brain function when consumed. It turns out that’s not enough information to make an accurate prediction.

For many people this is not surprising. Indica products have historically been considered relaxing while sativa products have been considered energizing, but these predictive classifications are less relevant than the chemical make-up of a strain that contains a mix of cannabinoids, terpenes, and other compounds. Nonetheless, THC and CBD levels are the main metrics presented on retail cannabis products.

A recent study found that taking a commercially available indica oil orally reduced the amount of effort animals were willing to put in to obtain a large reward—in fact, it made them lazy. However, a sativa oil, despite having the same THC and CBD levels, had no effect.

These results illustrate that THC and CBD levels, as well as indica and sativa classifications, are not the only considerations to predict the effects that oral cannabis use will have on brain function—other minor cannabinoids and terpenes matter.

Related

What is a cannabinoid?

CBD-rich cannabis oil improves core social symptoms in people with autism spectrum disorders

Many parents have raved about the benefits of cannabis-based treatments for children on the autism spectrum for years. Specifically, the goal is not to cure autism, but to enable better engagement and foster improved life skills so they can eventually become more independent.

For several years, Israeli scientists have been conducting clinical studies showing promising results for a 20:1 CBD to THC cannabis oil on many secondary symptoms of autism spectrum disorders, such as injury behaviors.

The results of these clinical studies show that cannabis also improves core social communication skills and everyday skills such as dressing, eating and tidying up in children and adolescents. While these benefits did not extend to other core symptoms such as impaired and repetitive behavior, this study underscores the exciting potential of cannabis to improve the quality of life of people with autism spectrum disorders and enable them to live more independently.

Post a comment:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *