Overview
Neuroscience News deep-dive into the WSU/Calgary PNAS study on cannabis-induced appetite. THC activates CB1 receptors in the hypothalamus to override natural satiety signals, creating a feeling of starvation even in recently fed subjects. The randomized trial of 82 humans showed cannabis vapor robustly and acutely increased energy intake within 30 minutes, irrespective of dose or gender. In rats, cannabis reduced latency to eat and increased feeding bout number regardless of macronutrient content or satiation. The mechanism is brain-mediated, not gut-mediated—a crucial distinction for developing targeted appetite therapies for wasting syndromes without psychoactive side effects.
Clinical Perspective
DECODING THE SATIETY BYPASS
The WSU/Calgary PNAS study proved THC fundamentally overrides the brain’s satiety signaling. By activating CB1 receptors in the hypothalamus, THC creates a neurological state indistinguishable from starvation—even after a full meal.
The translational design is exceptional: 82 humans used whole-plant vapor; rats at Calgary proved the mechanism through selective receptor blocking. If appetite stimulation is centrally driven, researchers can target specific hypothalamic receptor subtypes—producing appetite benefits without psychoactive effects. For wasting syndrome patients, this is a roadmap for next-generation therapies.
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Source: https://neurosciencenews.com/cannabis-munchies-brain-mechanism-30155/