How does marijuana affect memory?

Marijuana affects memory (short-term memory), reducing the ability to temporarily store and process information to reason, understand and learn. According to a study just released by the prestigious journal Cell, the key is that the main psychoactive ingredient of this drug (tetrahydrocannabinol or THC) does not affect neurons but astrocytes, glial cells that support them and they serve as "scaffolding". This implies that astrocytes, in addition to nourish and protect neurons, play an active role in the formation of memories.

In experiments with mice, researchers showed that if astrocytes lack a type of receptor called CB1R remain unaltered in the memory consumption of a high dose of marijuana. However, if this receptor is deleted from the neurons of the drug effect remains the same. This is the first time it is shown that the effects of cannabis on short-term memory is not directly regulated by neurons.

Now, the researchers intend to explore the activities of endogenous endocannabinoids, ie cannabis-like substances produced by the body naturally. The endocannabinoid system is involved in appetite, pain, mood, memory, etc.. "In almost any bodily function you can imagine, it is likely that endocannabinoids are involved in some way," the scientists said.