Biology of marijuana’s startling effects
THC, a major component of Marijuana enters the blood stream through the lungs when one smokes up. This is one wicked element responsible for triggering paranoia, anxiety and other conditions observed when a person is high. Let’s have an insight of anatomy of human body under the influence of marijuana.
How it works:
THC enters the blood stream post a few minutes of inhalation. It reaches the brain, gets bound to a specific receptor called Cannabinoid receptor which is present in multiple areas of the brain. Once activated, they inhibit the nervous action of that location. There are nerves which are connecting Cerebral cortex (Thinking and planning area) and Cerebellum (Areas controlling posture and movement). The connecting nerves, when deactivated due to THC binding to the receptors, prevent thoughts from the Cerebral cortex to reach the Cerebellum hence leading to a lack of coordination of actions.
Say, if the cerebrum instructs to walk straight, the information doesn’t reach the cerebellum as it is hampered by the receptor clinging to the channel. This means that with the occurrence of command which is supposed to make you walk straight you end up thinking you are walking straight when you are actually not. Similarly, it acts on other cannabinoid receptors in the brain which are responsible for psychomotor activity which when disturbed produces dysphoric reactions, including severe anxiety and panic, paranoia and psychosis.
What happens to my memory?
High on weed, the thoughts that strike are easily forgotten within nanoseconds and astonishingly, later, they can be recollected. This happens because hippocampus, a part of brain responsible for memory, gets disturbed when THC binds to the Cannabinoid receptors. Hence, a condition of short term memory retaining stops when the person is high on marijuana. But as it leaves the blood through metabolism, the receptors become free and the other regions of the brain which stores memory of the past helps you remember of what had happened when you were high. It’s like a computer system where the memory storage will change when the system is running on a different operating system, here, marijuana. So, one can heave a sigh of relief as these events don’t cause a permanent loss of memory. So if someone tells you they don’t remember anything that happened last night as they were high, don’t buy it, it is just an excuse to save ones ass.
