Cortisol breaks down anandamide
The more cortisol in the body, the more breakdown of the endocannabinoid CB1 receptor agonist and anti-anxiety compound anandamide, and the more anxiety. This is where cannabis comes in—to curb the anxiety of everyday living. Like other drugs, cannabis acts on a specific part of the brain and, depending on whether you are a person who gets paranoid from a few tokes, it can, like, seriously, help you to mellow out. However, chronic marijuana users show long-term cognitive decline to the tune of 8 IQ points, so, in the end, they may be less stressed about reality anyway.
References
- Lustig, H., Robert. (2017). The Hacking of the American Mind Chapter 4. Killing Jiminy Stress, Fear, and Cortisol (Location 841). New York, NY: Penguin Random House.
Metadata
Type:🔴 Tags: Biology / Neuroscience / Biochemistry / Neurochemistry Status:☀️