cannabisnews.com: Professor Studies Effects of Marijuana on The Brain










  Professor Studies Effects of Marijuana on The Brain

Posted by CN Staff on September 25, 2003 at 22:44:15 PT
By Jenni Kimmet, of the Advance  
Source: Advance Titan  

The College of Letters and Science Dean’s Symposium series begins today with a seminar based on research conducted by an Oshkosh psychology professor concerning the neurological relationship between marijuana and eating habits.The seminar, “Marijuana and Appetite: Tales of the Munchies from a Behavioral Neuroscience Perspective,” is the culmination of six years of research by Dr. Jim Koch to determine possible connections between marijuana’s active ingredient tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, eating habits and how experimental drugs may affect appetite in the future.
Koch has focused on two main theories involving the body’s reaction to THC. “Marijuana and brain systems that mediate the marijuana are hooked into basic behaviors like eating,” Koch said. The research’s first goal was to produce positive laboratory results demonstrating the relationship between THC and appetite. He then tested experimental drugs to look for an opposite effect that would show a decrease in food intake. The laboratory tests conducted on rats showed that while THC did stimulate an increase in food intake, experimental drugs were more difficult to analyze. An experimental drug was administered to the lab rats followed by uncooked chocolate cake batter. The batter was used to represent the fatty foods that people consume every day. While his experiments show no definite conclusions, Koch said they help generate more advanced ideas for future testing. “Science never proves anything without a doubt, but it shows a link between scientific findings,” Koch said. Koch has worked with about 12 students on campus over the past six years to study how THC stimulates receptors in the brain to increase appetite, and how those same receptors combined with the proper drug could demonstrate the opposite response. This year the National Institute of Drug Abuse is supporting Koch’s research with a grant of $50,000. He says that being supported at such a level is vital to the success of research in his field. With the ability to perform more scientific tests, Koch is able to let others know about THC and appetite findings. Koch’s seminar is today from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Reeve Memorial Union room 227C. “It’s a chance to tell people that there’s active research on campus and put it into perspective—giving it some realism,” Koch said. Same receptors combined with the proper drug could demonstrate the opposite response. This year the National Institute of Drug Abuse is supporting Koch’s research with a grant in the amount of $50,000. He says that being supported at such a level is vital to the success of research in his field. With the ability to perform more scientific tests, Koch is able to let others know about THC and appetite findings. “It’s a chance to tell people that there’s active research on campus and put it into perspective —giving it some realism,” Koch said. Source: Advance Titan (WI)Author: Jenni Kimmet, of the Advance TitanPublished: September 24, 2003 Website: http://at.mio.uwosh.edu/Contact: http://at.mio.uwosh.edu/writeeditor.aspCannabisNews NIDA Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/NIDA.shtml

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