Study shows pot & cigarette smoking can help shrink the brain

[WhatInThe]

A recent study from an addiction journal shows that smoking pot and/or cigarettes can help shrink the brain. The amygdala region of the brain affected the most. That region includes emotion regulation and ability to see or realize the risk of a situation or deciion

Smoking weed and tobacco actually shrinks your brain — here are the parts at risk

Smoking tobacco seems to affect the palladium and insula regions of the brain. They also have some control over emotions.

The term 'dope' for recreational drugs is more accurate than people think

 

[Sunkist]

The term 'dope' for recreational drugs is more accurate than people think

 

[Della]

I don't need any help shrinking my brain. I used to use cigarettes to help shrink it, but then I quit so now I need help shrinking the rest of me.

"Research indicates that obesity is associated with reduced brain volume and accelerated brain aging, with obese individuals showing up to 8% less brain tissue."

Thanks anyway.

 

[Murrmurr]

But brains shrink with age, starting in your 30s or 40s, and the shrink-rate increases significantly after age 60.

So, I wonder what age groups the researchers used in their study. The article doesn't say.

 

[Time Waits 4 No Man]

A recent study from an addiction journal shows that smoking pot and/or cigarettes can help shrink the brain.

Funny, but it had the reverse effect on me...

 

[jujube]

I don't need any help shrinking my brain. I used to use cigarettes to help shrink it, but then I quit so now I need help shrinking the rest of me.

"Research indicates that obesity is associated with reduced brain volume and accelerated brain aging, with obese individuals showing up to 8% less brain tissue."

Thanks anyway.

Well, heckydarn, maybe I can get some of that fat to migrate up to my head and fill in the blanks......

 

[seadoug]

Well, I smoked up until I retired in 2020 and still made it to VP at my company so maybe my brain was really large or maybe I was just willing to take more chances.

 

[David777]

That story has been on the web for weeks and the NY Post as it often does for political or conservative philosophical reasons, used it in a manipulative way. The NY Post is strongly anti weed in order to conform to their target conservative audience despite its focus on the seediest sides of celebrities and news. Another link:

Smoking shrinks key brain regions while cannabis shows weaker effects

...Cross-sectional analyses showed smaller amygdala volumes among cannabis users compared to controls. Longitudinal studies yielded inconsistent evidence, with reductions mostly in users with schizophrenia or at risk for it. No MR studies were available to assess the causal effects of cannabis use on brain volume.

So no, those very limited studies suggested nothing about full brain sizes but rather the volume of the amygdala, a region with brain interconnections for fears and strong emotions. How convenient they didn't bother to mention that? Another example of how one ought be careful to not look like a fool, digesting news media.

The amygdala in humans is part of the complex older mid brain. It was already evolved in the earliest vertebrate creatures because fear of dangers in environments where creatures eat each other was important for survival. It is also a reason why in the recent dream thread people while dreaming often dream of work related environments and communication with people at work because for most, loss of employment is a strong often subconscious fear affecting many of our workplace behaviors that our drifting in memories sleeping brain tends to confabulate towards. Thus, I have endlessly dreamed of not finding my vehicles in large parking lots.

 

[Messy]

I read that it was good for your brain.

Nicotine may relieve symptoms of Parkinson's disease - PubMed

Studies have shown that nicotine might modulate dopaminergic neurons, potentially reducing symptoms like tremor and bradykinesia in some cases.

 

[Coconut]

Long term use of tobacco, pot, dope and prescription drugs have to be bad for your entire body.
Nicotine and drugs would probably fry your brain.
Jumping into a swimming pool with no water in it would probably hurt your brain too.

Maybe they should have included me in their study.

 

[Pepper]

Smoking cigarettes , which I in no way recommend, does lessen my essential tremor. Gives an overall sense of calm.
Also lung cancer and COPD. Both of which I have had.

 

[Della]

I read that it was good for your brain.

Nicotine may relieve symptoms of Parkinson's disease - PubMed

Studies have shown that nicotine might modulate dopaminergic neurons, potentially reducing symptoms like tremor and bradykinesia in some cases.

Yes, nicotine always helped with my attention deficit tendencies. Lots of studies have shown that it increases focus on tedious learning tasks.

So no, those very limited studies suggested nothing about full brain sizes but rather the volume of the amygdala, a region with brain interconnections for fears and strong emotions. How convenient they didn't bother to mention that? Another example of how one ought be careful to not look like a fool, digesting news media.

How convenient for the marijuana apologists that studies always slide over the schizophrenia association like it's no big deal. That amygdala with it's interconnection for fears is what puts the paranoia in paranoid schizophrenia. They always say it only seems to cause or worsen schizophrenia in people who are at risk for it. Duh. Cigarettes only cause lung cancer in people who are at risk for it.

 

[Messy]

Yes, nicotine always helped with my attention deficit tendencies. Lots of studies have shown that it increases focus on tedious learning tasks.


How convenient for the marijuana apologists that studies always slide over the schizophrenia association like it's no big deal. That amygdala with it's interconnection for fears is what puts the paranoia in paranoid schizophrenia. They always say it only seems to cause or worsen schizophrenia in people who are at risk for it. Duh. Cigarettes only cause lung cancer in people who are at risk for it.

I was in a mental hospital 3 weeks with guys who smoked and one had schizophrenia and had been in a coma because of cocaine. Fun place. There was also a grandma with dementia for whom they had no place in an elderly center. She was just knitting and used nothing.

The guy with schizophrenia offered me a cigar. I fell on the floor. A normal cigar. That stuff was strong. I had never smoked. Because of them I started to smoke. He said: Take one. Keeps you calm. It was true in the beginning. I got crazy from all the crazy pills they gave me and this normalized it.

They were also on pot. Also another guy. He had been on heroin. He drank 20 cans of beer when he visited and smoked pot. Thank God I couldn't handle that. Tried it and saw spells and thought God spoke to me, but that was not God. I believe it was a demon.

I was on a christian forum and a guy asked me if I could help him cause in Holland we have a drug that helps you get rid of drug addiction and his daughter was on harddrugs. I looked it up. Wow. In the reviews people said they met god or satan and all their memory was erased. That stuff is evil and demonic. It was from some African plant root, used by a cult there. I said: I'm not gonna help you with that. The guy was a preacher. He had no clue.

 

[Paco Dennis]

This reminds me that hindsight is 20x20 vision. Almost everything we do has some risk involved, and I am sure no one gets out unscathed. How about that "Evil Knievel"?