In the latest study, researchers found that alcohol causes more damage to the brain than weed when they compared the long-term association of Alcohol and Marijuana on the brain. The main objective of the current study is to know the long-term effect of cannabinoids, active ingredient of cannabis on the brain. This comes after cannabis use has been legalized in the USA. The study was carried by researchers belonging to University of Colorado Boulder and Oregon health and science university. The long-term effects of alcohol drinking on the brain have been well-established from various studies. Not long ago, we have reported about the drug Tandospirone, an anti-anxiety drug that reverses the ill effects of alcohol consumption. Before we dwell more on the research, let’s know a bit about different tissues grey matter and white matter present in the brain.
What is Grey matter and White matter of Brain?
The Grey matter is so called because of its pinkish grey colour and is concerned with muscle control and sensory perception. On the other hand, the white matter is composed of bundles and connects various areas of grey matter.
The study carried out:
Now getting back to the study, the researchers observed brain scans of 853 people whose age varied between 18 and 55. The study also contained 439 young adults aged between 14 and 18. The participants reported the use of different levels of alcohol and cannabis. The researchers found that with prolonged alcohol consumption there was a visible decrease in the volume of grey matter. Further, there was also a loss of integrity in white matter. The researchers found that negative effects of drinking were worse in adults aged over 18 when compared with younger people.
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Future Research:
The current research shows that cannabis does not damage the brain as previously thought, but it is not known whether it has any positive implications for health. However, the researchers believe that more research has to be carried out to confirm that cannabis has no effect on the brain if it is prescribed as a medicine in the future.
The Research study was published in the journal addiction
