"Alcohol, Not Cannabis, Associated with Violent Behaviors in Psychotic Patients"

The consumption of alcohol, but not cannabis, is associated with an increased likelihood of impulsiveness and violent behavior among subjects with schizophrenic spectrum disorders, according to data published in the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology.

The link between substances of abuse, impulsivity, and violence in psychotic patients remains unclear but a team of Canadian and Italian investigators assessed the relationship between the use of alcohol and cannabis on psychotic, impulsive, and violent behavior in a cohort of subjects diagnosed with either schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders

The term "psychotic disorder" refers to a person's thought dysfunction and is often described as "the patient's loss of contact with reality."

This study aims at unraveling whether cannabis use disorder is associated with violent and/or psychotic behavior in patients who where hospitalized in a high-security hospital.

"CBD Improves Blood Flow to Brain’s Hippocampus"

Cannabidiol (CBD) increases cerebral blood flow to areas of the brain associated with memory processing, specifically the hippocampus. The findings identify a potential mechanism for the use of CBD to treat disorders associated with altered memory processing, including Alzheimer’s disease, PTSD, and schizophrenia.

A single dose of cannabidiol (CBD) helped increase blood flow to the hippocampus, an important area of the brain associated with memory and emotion, finds a new study led by UCL researchers.

Researchers say the findings could be an important discovery for conditions which affect memory, such as Alzheimer’s disease and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and could help better target therapies.

In the study, published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, researchers set out to investigate how CBD influences cerebral blood flow in different regions on the brain involved in memory processing.

Lead author, Dr Michael Bloomfield (UCL Psychiatry) said: “Cannabidiol is one of the main constituents of cannabis and is gaining interest for its therapeutic potential.

"CBD and Schizophrenia Safety and Effectiveness"

Schizophrenia is a mental illness characterized by continuous or relapsing episodes of psychosis.

Major symptoms include hallucinations, delusions and disorganized thinking. Other symptoms include social withdrawal, decreased emotional expression, and lack of motivation.

Cannabis and mental health are strongly linked.Cannabis helps support health across various facets of mind, brain and body. But there is no end to the wellness advantages it can offer.Cannabis can assist with mental health, help clear your mind, and alleviate depression.It will help you concentrate, and open up a whole fresh realm of energy and liveliness.

The two most abundant cannabinoids in Cannabis are THC and CBD. Different forms of cannabis vary in the relative proportions of THC and CBD, and the risk of psychotic symptoms and impaired cognitive functioning following cannabis use is lower with cannabis preparations that have a relatively high CBD content.

The aim of the present study was to explore the safety and effectiveness of CBD as an adjunctive treatment in schizophrenia. Researchers examined the effects of CBD on positive and negative psychotic symptoms, cognitive performance, level of functioning, and the treating psychiatrist’s overall clinical impression.