A brand new research conducted by psychology experts at Haifa University in Israel suggests that cannabis used promptly to rats that suffer psychological trauma can efficiently block the development of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). As long as the rats were addressed with marijuana within 24 hours of the stressful experience, PTSD indicators were prevented. The study was published in the journal Neuropsychopharma-cology. Article source: Marijuana cures PTSD in rats, Israeli study shows

Stopping PTSD in rats

Rodents were stressed out to the point where PTSD symptoms started to appear for experts. The rats were then divided into four groups. Marijuana wasn’t given to one group. The second group was given a weed injection after two hours, while the third and fourth groups were injected after 24 and 48 hours, respectively.

Upon examination one week later, the group of rats that didn't re-ceive marijuana treatment and the group that was not exposed to cannabis until 48 hours later showed signs of high anxiety and PTSD symp-toms. The two-hour and 24-hour groups still showed anxiety, but no other PTSD indicators were present.

Window quickly closes

As reported by study leader Dr. Irit Akirav, the timing of weed application is vitally significant.

"There is a critical window of time after trauma, during which synthetic marijuana can help prevent symptoms similar to PTSD in rats," said Akirav. “It does not erase the experi-ence, but can help prevent the development of PTSD symptoms.”

Brain accepts the marijuana more effortlessly

Akirav noted that receptors in the amygdala area of the brain are hospitable to the marijua-na treatment.

"We found that the effects of the cannabinoids were mediated by receptors in the amygdala area of the brain, known to be responsible for mediation of stress, fear and trauma," she noted.

Akirav believes that outcomes will show that humans respond the same to the treatment, although there is no guarantee that PTSD treatment with marijuana will work on humans.

PTSD stopped

The cause of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is that the brain is trying to find a way to defend against an overwhelming assault. This can come from damage to one’s physical integrity, threat of death or significant injury. There are many causes for this. It is simple to startle these people that are edgy and irritable. These people are also always ready for an attack or devastation to occur. Individuals re-experience the affair often with memories. They sometimes have flashbacks and nightmares too. These people keep away from anything that makes them remember the trauma again. They suffer from emotional numbing which often causes demoralization and isolation.

Research done on the impacts of marijuana

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBIxA0CqNx4

Articles cited

Agence France-Presse: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/09/20/marijuana-blocks-ptsd-symptoms-in-...

Cannabis and PTSD: http://rxmarijuana.com/pstd.htm

Neuropsychopharmacology: http://www.nature.com/npp/index.html

NPR: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=126827410

University of Haifa: http://www.haifa.ac.il/index_eng.html