Why Weed Makes You...hey what the f*ck are you doing to those rats?

[The Pieyed Piper]

http://gizmodo.com/5889856/why-weed-makes-youyouhuh?tag=the-stoner-channel

A duo of researchers, Giovanni Marsicano of the University of Bordeaux, France, and Xia Zhang of the University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research, have been credited with the discovery published today in the journal Cell. Previously, scientists believed that THC "loosened" synapses in the hippocampus, resulting in memory loss. But contrary to convention, the effect isn't rooted in the drug's effect on the neurons alone but also on an undiscovered reaction between THC and non-neuronal cells known as astrocytes.

Astrocytes used to be thought of simply "support" cells that helped neurons function. However, the team's research showed that these cells also produce a chemical called AMPA when they interact with THC and it's the AMPA compound that can mitigate or enhance the looseness of the neuron's synapse.

To prove the hypothesis, the team employed three types of rats with various alterations to their neurons' CB1 receptors (these receptors bind with THC and activate the cells when THC is present). The first set lacked receptors on cells that produce the neurotransmitter glutamate, the second set lacked receptors on cells that create the neurotransmitter GABA, and the third set lacked them on the AMPA-producing astrocytes. Basically, if the cells lacked this receptor, THC wouldn't affect them and they wouldn't produce the associated chemical.

The team inserted electrodes into the anesthetized rats' brains, got them blunted, and then recorded the results. The glutamate and GABA sets of rats responded in the same way that normal rats would—high as poo and terrible short-term memory. The AMPA-less rats however were unaffected.

comments...

Google also reports that girls like butt sex. I tried, they don't.

[jb_online]

One set of rats went out and got a job while the other set of rats stayed home watching Scooby-Doo and ate Lays potato chips.

[bleys]

One set of rats went out and got a job while the other set of rats stayed home watching Scooby-Doo and ate Lays potato chips.

says the alcoholic who beats his wife and kids before proceeding to kill a family drinking and driving after losing his job due to a physical addiction.....

[The Saltman]

says the alcoholic who beats his wife and kids before proceeding to kill a family drinking and driving after losing his job due to a physical addiction.....

Wtf?

[bleys]

I was following jb's lead on generating random stereotypes.. is the game over already?

[pstall]

the common denominator of all schmucks in the world is humans.

[jb_online]

I was just joking around... I'm not against weed at all. In fact, in my day...

[Claws]

light it up

[PanthaSan]

"Puff, puff, pass, Mickey gotdammit"

I hate smoking with rats, they always bogart the doob....

[CarolinaAllDay]

If i had to make an estimate on the amount of weed ive smoked in my life, it would be near 3-5 pounds.

Ask me what i ate for breakfast, and i guaranty i can anwser that.