Alcohol or Marija. Which is more harmful to the brain?

While marijuana is being legalized more and more worldwide, some research has begun on whether marijuana or alcohol harms the brain more.

Scientists at Colorado University Boulder developed a review of existing images that see the effects of alcohol and marijuana, or cannabis, on the brain.

Their findings are related to consuming alcohol with long - term changes in the structure of white matter and gray matter in the brain.

However, the use of marijuana had no long - term effect on the brain's structure.

Study leader Rachel Thayer, of the Department of Psychological and Neuroscience at the University of Colorado Boulder, and colleagues reported their results each month in Addication magazine.

It has been estimated that some 22.2 million people in the United States have been using marijuana over the past month, making it the most common illegal <x0drogan” in the country.

However, throughout the United States, more and more is being legalised for medical and professional purposes. As a result of this changing legislation, researchers are trying to find more information on how they can benefit from health marijuana as well as possible damage.

Last year, for example, Medical News Today reported on a study linking marijuana to a greater risk of teen psychosis, while another study confirmed that drugs are the worst “of cigarettes” for cardiovascular health.

On the other side of the coin, researchers have found that cannabinoids, which are active compounds in marijuana, can help prevent migraine and a more recent study of marijuana use for an increase in sexual life.

Marijuana or alcohol: Which is worse?

Thayer and his colleagues sought to learn more about how marijuana use affects the brain.

Research co-author Kent Hutchison, also of the Department of Psychology and Neurosciency, notes that until now, studies that have investigated this association have produced mixed results.

When you look at these studies over the years, he explains, “you see a study will report that the use of marijuana is linked to a reduction in the volume of the hippocampus. Meanwhile, the upcoming study comes and says that the use of marijuana is linked to changes in the small brain [...]. ”

The question is that there is no stability in all these studies regarding the actual brain structures”.

In order to close the gap over this dispute, researchers conduct a new analysis of existing brain image data. They've seen how the use of marijuana affects the white matter and the gray matter in the brain, and how its effects are compared to a <x0drog”drogy”) the other one we're used to: alcohol.

The gray material is tissue on the surface of the brain that consists mainly of the bodies of nerve cells. White matter is the deepest index of the brain containing myelinized nerve fibers, which are branches derived from nerve cells that transmit electrical impulses into cells and other tissues.

The team notes that any reduction in the size of white or gray matter or loss of integrity can lead to brain function injuries.

“Alcooli, we know it's bad for the brain for decades,” observes Hutchison. “But for cannabis, we know so little. ”

Using marijuana had no effect

The study included images of the brain of 853 adults who were between the ages of 18 and 55 and 439 teenagers at the age of 14 and 18. As “Medical News Today” writes, all participants differed in their use of alcohol and marijuana.

Researchers found that the use of alcohol especially in adults who had been drinking for many years associated with a reduction in the volume of gray matter and a reduction in the integrity of white matter.

The use of marijuana, however, seems to have no influence on the structure of gray or white matter in teenagers or adults.

Based on these findings, researchers believe that drinking alcohol will likely be far more harmful to brain health than the use of marijuana.

“[...] While marijuana can have some negative consequences, it is definitely not close to the negative effects of alcohol”. ~ Kent Hutchison

When it comes to possible benefits of using marijuana, however, Thayer and her team stress that the jury is still out, and further research is needed to reach some conclusions.