Compounds in marijuana are similar to chemicals in the brain, could help depression patients feel better

Feb 5, 2015 12:45 GMT  ·  By

Researchers with the University at Buffalo in the US are now hard at work investigating how conditions like chronic stress and depression affect the brain's chemistry and activity patterns.

Having carried out a series of experiments on animals, the scientists found that chronic stress and depression correlate with a drop in the production of special brain chemicals dubbed endocannabinoids.

Writing in the Journal of Neuroscience, specialist Samir Haj-Dahmane and his team explain that these chemicals are involved in emotions, behavior, cognition and even motor control.

Hence, it makes sense for conditions such as chronic stress and depression to go hand in hand with a noteworthy drop in the body's production of these brain chemicals.

What's interesting is that, according to Samir Haj-Dahmane and his team, these chemicals that are naturally occurring in the body are similar to specific compounds found in marijuana.

Hence, the researchers cannot help but wonder whether it might not be possible to use these marijuana compounds to replace the endocannabinoids that are missing in the body and thus threat chronic stress and depression.

“Using compounds derived from cannabis – marijuana – to restore normal endocannabinoid function could potentially help stabilize moods and ease depression,” study leader Samir Haj-Dahmane said in a statement.

The scientists behind this investigation say that, in the months to come, they wish to carry out further experiments on animals and see if marijuana can, in fact, restore endocannabinoids levels in the body.

Should these experiments prove successful, the researchers might consider the possibility of rolling out clinical trials involving human patients. Still, the fact remains that, before this happens, there is plenty of work left to do.