Written by Renata Filiaci, MSHW

Cannabis and its constituents, including the many cannabinoid and terpenes, have been studied on its therapeutic effects for the brain and central and peripheral nervous system. As you have heard me say many times, the CB1 receptor is expressed mainly in the brain (central nervous system), but also in the lungs, liver and kidneys. The CB2 receptor is expressed mainly in the immune system, peripheral tissue, and in blood plasma in bone marrow, the liver, and spleen, however further research has found the existence of these receptors in parts of the brain as well. Cannabinoids bind to these receptors to promote healthier brain function. So which cannabinoids bind to the CB1 receptor and how? What are the exact benefits and effects that cannabis has on the brain?

CBD has little binding affinity for CB1 receptors but it is capable of antagonizing it in the presence of THC which exerts its known central effects through the CB1 cannabinoid receptor. However, CBD behaves as a non-competitive negative allosteric modulator of CB1 receptor (group of substances that bind to a receptor to change that receptor’s response to stimulus). Meaning it gives more medicinal effects from the plant by also lowering the psychotropic potency of THC delta 8 and 9. CBD may represent a prototype for anti-inflammatory drug development for human pathologies where both the inflammation and oxidative stress (OS) play an important role to their etiology and progression, such as certain autoimmune diseases and neurodegenerative disease.

CBG stands for cannabigerol, a CBG is non-psychoactive, and it is one of my favorite cannabinoids. It primarily binds to the CB2 receptor and has some measurable activation on CB1 receptor but difficult to interpret. From what data is available, CBG is considered to be able to help manage sleep, appetite, and mood due to increasing anandamide, an endocannabinoid that naturally increases the available dopamine in the brain. Also, CBG is a potent antioxidant, working to combat oxidative stress that damages cells and leads to neurological disease as CBG has been shown to reduce the loss of brain cells and improve motor function in many neurodegenerative patients.

Carrier oil – often called a base oil, is a plant-derived solution that is used to help carry the contents of the active compound, CBD. When CBD is combined with a fatty plant-based oil, it directly binds with the fat molecules that your body is familiar with processing, strengthening CBD’s absorption and bioavailability. They are abundant in unsaturated fatty acids, namely the omega-3 & omega-6 fatty acids. Studies have shown that taking in fatty acids has great effects on the frontoparietal cortex of the brain, memory preservation in older adults, is a good energy source, improves short-term cognition, and has the ability to manage neurodegenerative disease and epilepsy.

Alpha brain waves – Alpha waves have recently been correlated with creative thinking as well as a reduction in depressive symptoms by neuroscientists. Shifting our brain wave oscillations to alpha has been found to be useful in treating anxiety and depression since they’re linked with relaxed mental states. A study was done on the use of cannabis and alpha brain wave oscillation patterns through the use of EEG sensors, biometric measurements, and implicit-association tests. two subjects’ brain waves before and after consuming cannabis, were found to have an increase in brain activity across the board. Also, the subjects described themselves as more energetic, relaxed, and calm.

Neurodegenerative disease – is a type of disease in which cells of the central nervous system stop working or die. Neurodegenerative disorders usually get worse over time and have no cure. Some examples are Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Multiple Sclerosis, and Huntington’s which could be characterized by extensive oxidative damage to different biological substrates that can cause cell death by different pathways. A scientific review provided evidence that the non-psychoactive phyto-cannabinoids CBD could be a potential pharmacological tool for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders because it acts on different molecular targets and pathways as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent.