Cannabinoids and the brain..

A recent study, published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation, has found that a synthetic cannabinoid called HU210 promotes neurogenesis in the hippocampus of rats.
That is, that it helps the brain cells in the hippocampus to renew themselves. This is a groundbreaking and fascinating discovery since many other drugs instead suppresses the neurogenesis in these cells. The study also suggested that HU210 acts as an anxiolytic and anti-depressant in rats.
This, of course, is good news since it opens up for the possibility that the same properties may be possessed by the naturally occurring cannabinoids as well and in the best case scenario act in a similar way on humans.

How intriguing all this very well may be it still isn´t an excuse for the incredibly bad way that these news has been presented in many places. For an example, BBC´s online article has the headline 'Cannabis' acts as antidepressant and continues with "a chemical found in cannabis can act like an antidepressant", whereas Nature used the headline Marijuana may make your brain grow.

It is important to remember that these findings concerns a synthetic cannabinoid, not present in Cannabis, and that he studies was made on rats and not humans. So making claims that Cannabis is good for the human brain might turn out to be just a little bit premature.

Link to an abstract of the study at JCI.

On a side note: I´m guessing that these articles also will spark an interest for HU210 among recreational drug users. Not only because of it´s potential neurogenesis promoting effects but mostly because it has been described as ´100 times more potent than THC´.
I´ve yet to find anything published on HU210´s potential psychoactive effects but if there is any resemblance to that of THC I wouldn´t be surprised if HU210 would turn up on the illicit drug market sometime in the near future.