For the first time, scientists have identified exactly what happens in the brain after using marijuana that causes the “munchies,” a new federally funded study shows.
Researchers at Washington State University (WSU) published the findings in the journal Scientific Reports, revealing how cannabis activates a specific cluster of neurons in the hypothalamus region of the brain that stimulates appetite.
The hunger-inducing effects of marijuana have been well-understood by consumers, but now the results of the new animal research offer insights that could help lead to the development of targeted therapeutics for people with conditions such as anorexia and obesity.
After mice were exposed to vaporized cannabis, researchers used calcium imaging technology (similar to a brain MRI) to track changes in neuron activity. They found that marijuana vapor attached to cannabinoid-1 receptors in the brain and activated so-called “feeding” neurons in the hypothalamus called Agouti Related Protein neurons.
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