By Miguel Ordoñez


As the hype behind medical cannabis continues to grow, the entire world is finally beginning to see many of its benefits to human health. And, amongst all of the body’s vital organs, it is the brain that interacts with cannabis the most.

The endocannabinoid system, for one, transcends through this region of the nervous system. And, once a cannabinoid like CBD enters the body, brain function is one of the first processes affected.

Numerous studies have already explored how cannabidiol affects brain function, most of which have shown promising results and spearheaded further research. But, how exactly does CBD impact the brain and its overall health? This article should explain everything you need to know.

How the Brain Works

The brain’s primary role is to process all of the information sent through the body, then send it back around. It’s like one central computer that controls memory, cognition, and experiences.

  • The brain comprises three main sections: the cerebrum, cerebellum, and brain stem. The cerebrum is the largest section, located in the outer part. It is responsible for our ability to walk, think, learn new information, speak, feel, and read.
  • The cerebrum has two main hemispheres: the left and the right. The former controls the right side of the body, while the latter controls the left.

Each hemisphere is then divided into four lobes, namely the temporal, frontal, occipital, and parietal. Each has specific functions that control reasoning, decision-making, personality, and sense of smell, among others.

At the back of the brain is the cerebellum, and its primary functions are mostly related to movement. It controls our ability to balance, fine muscle control (i.e. anything that involves hand-eye coordination), equilibrium, and posture maintenance.

Located at the bottom part of the brain is the brain stem. Its main purpose is to connect the cerebrum to the spinal cord. It also controls basic functions like breathing, blood pressure, and eye movement.

Neurons, Cannabinoids and Neurotransmitters

Cannabinoid Receptors in the Brain

Before we take a deeper dive into the cannabinoid receptors in our brains, it is important to first understand the endocannabinoid system. In a nutshell, it plays a modulatory role in achieving homeostasis (aka balance) within the brain and central nervous system.

That’s where the two major cannabinoid receptors come in: CB1 and CB2. Both of these receptor types are scattered throughout the body, but each is more concentrated in some areas than others.

Let’s first look at the CB1 receptors. An abundance of these are found in the nervous system, particularly in the brain, brainstem, and cerebellum. There are also CB1 receptors in the eyes, spleen, and the testis. Certain cannabinoids, such as THC, have a high binding affinity for CB1 receptors in the brain, giving rise to the psychotropic effects associated with marijuana.

As for CBD, it doesn’t bind with CB1 in a traditional way. Instead, it interacts with non-cannabinoid receptors[1] like TRPV1. TRPV1 receptors moderate the body’s response to inflammation and pain.

CB2 receptors, meanwhile, are located primarily within immune cells, and take on the role of modulating immune function. It’s through these receptors that the body can help fight inflammation.

Can CBD Improve Brain Function?

So, how exactly could CBD influence brain function? And, of what benefit might it be? Brain function is quite a broad term, and it covers a lot of ground. So, to help you understand it a lot easier, we’ll break everything down into the following categories.

  • CBD and Neurogenesis

Neurogenesis is a process by which the brain forms new neurons. Neurons, also known as nerve cells, are the ones in charge of receiving sensory information and sending commands to our muscles for movement. They are also responsible for the transformation and relaying of all electrical signals between each process.

But, how does CBD influence neurogenesis? According to several theories, cannabidiol holds the potential to increase neurogenesis by modulating the endocannabinoid system. In a 2010 study[2] performed on mice, it was found that a CBD-enriched diet aided in the survival of newborn neurons. In a 2018 study[3] performed on chronically stressed mice, CBD was found to increase neuronal differentiation, aka the process of cell development.

While more studies need to be done, experts agree that cannabidiol potentially has the ability to boost neurogenic activity.

  • CBD and Oxidative Stress

When your body produces more free radicals than antioxidants, that means you’re experiencing oxidative stress. Free radicals are molecules that take away electrons from other cells, which ultimately causes damage to the body.

Too much oxidative stress speeds up the ageing process, and may also lead to the development of long-term health issues like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, among many others.

Research shows that CBD is perceived to play a role in reducing oxidative stress levels. According to findings in a 2008 study[4], cannabidiol has the potential to block endotoxins that induce oxidative stress.

Degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s are also caused in part by oxidative stress. But, as recent findings suggest, CBD has the potential to provide relief for such conditions.

According to a 2011 study[5], cannabidiol was found to protect against oxidative damage brought on by amphetamine. And, given its anti-inflammatory potential, a 2007 study[6] found that CBD blunted neuroinflammation caused by Alzheimer’s.

  • CBD and Cerebral Blood Flow

Blood flow is an integral factor in optimal brain function and ageing. In human beings, average cerebral blood flow[7] is at 50ml of blood per 3.5 oz of brain tissue per minute. These values dip a little bit in white matter (20ml per 3.5 oz per minute) but increase in gray matter (80ml per 3.5 oz per minute)

Recent research has found a connection between cannabidiol and cerebral blood flow. A 2020 study[8] published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology showed CBD’s plausible capabilities of increasing blood flow to the hippocampus. The hippocampus is the region in the brain within the temporal lobe that’s responsible for learning and memory.

The exact mechanisms of the process weren’t specified in the aforementioned study. However, it was also found that CBD could potentially improve how the brain processes emotional memories.

The study also noted that other regions of the brain didn’t experience the same increase in cerebral blood flow. However, they did prove it to be existent in the hippocampus, entertaining the possibility of improved memory function from cannabidiol use.

  • CBD and Psychotropic Effects

Cannabis lovers are well-acquainted with the psychotropic effects brought on by THC. Some enjoy the experience, but others can find it overwhelming.

Anxiety and paranoia are known culprits behind unpleasant cannabis highs. But, in that regard, CBD is also seen as a possible medium to balance things out.

According to a 2015 study[9], among others, CBD can potentially lower THC-induced anxiety through its role as a negative allosteric modulator of CB1 receptors. This essentially means CBD lessens THC’s ability to produce psychotropic side effects by binding with CB1.

Moreover, CBD has been implicated as a potential adjunct treatment[10] for post-traumatic stress disorder and social anxiety[11], among other anxiety disorders, given its good safety profile and non-toxic nature.

If you’re having trouble dealing with the psychotropic effects of cannabis, you could try out strains with a balanced CBD:THC ratio.

Cannabinoid, opioid, serotonin and dopamine receptors

  • CBD and Other Neurochemicals

Our brains feature several neurochemicals. These tiny organic molecules are essentially responsible for modulating various brain functions. It would take an entirely separate article to go through every single one, so we’ll focus on two of the most compelling: dopamine and anandamide.

To start, dopamine is a hormone that’s released during gratifying experiences like eating delicious food or having sex. Dopamine increase also happens with the use of drugs[12] like nicotine, cocaine, and amphetamines, making them highly addictive.

According to research[13] published in 2017, CBD’s innate ability to promote homeostasis may give it anti-addictive potential. This same study noted some findings on how cannabidiol was able to reduce nicotine consumption, as well as the symptoms of cannabis dependence and withdrawal.

Anandamide is another fascinating neurochemical. Discovered by Dr Raphael Mechoulam, he named it after the Sanskrit word for “bliss”, as he observed its impact on human joy and well-being. This endocannabinoid is believed to play roles[14] related to pleasure, learning, and memory, among others. Interestingly, CBD seems to inhibit anandamide reuptake and breakdown[15], which increases levels of the endocannabinoid in the body (to potentially beneficial effect).

CBD for Brain Health: Is There Enough Evidence?

The brain itself is an intricate organ that serves multiple purposes within the body. Each of its regions is connected to the physical, mental, and emotional functions that enable us to move and operate properly.

As the years progress, more and more studies are being conducted on CBD in this domain. However, there still aren’t enough comprehensive clinical trials to make definitive conclusions.

Most findings lean to the positive effects of cannabidiol on brain health. Certain aspects remain inconclusive, but, generally, the results are promising. At the very least, CBD doesn’t appear to do any damage to brain health or function, and it is well-tolerated[16] by humans.

Overall, there are a lot of reasons to be optimistic about CBD’s relationship with your brain.

External Resources:
  1. Cannabinoid Ligands Targeting TRP Channels https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  2. Cannabinoid receptor CB1 mediates baseline and activity-induced survival of new neurons in adult hippocampal neurogenesis https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  3. The anxiolytic effects of cannabidiol in chronically stressed mice are mediated by the endocannabinoid system: Role of neurogenesis and dendritic remodeling https://www.researchgate.net
  4. Neuroprotective effects of cannabidiol in endotoxin-induced uveitis: critical role of p38 MAPK activation - PubMed https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  5. Effects of cannabidiol on amphetamine-induced oxidative stress generation in an animal model of mania - PubMed https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  6. Cannabidiol in vivo blunts β-amyloid induced neuroinflammation by suppressing IL-1β and iNOS expression https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  7. Normal average value of cerebral blood flow in younger adults is 50 ml/100 g/min - PubMed https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  8. SAGE Journals: Your gateway to world-class journal research https://journals.sagepub.com
  9. Cannabidiol is a negative allosteric modulator of the cannabinoid CB1 receptor - PubMed https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  10. Cannabidiol in the Treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Case Series https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  11. Frontiers | Anxiolytic Effects of Repeated Cannabidiol Treatment in Teenagers With Social Anxiety Disorders | Psychology https://www.frontiersin.org
  12. Dopamine | Psychology Wiki | Fandom https://psychology.wikia.org
  13. Cannabidiol for the Treatment of Drug Use Disorders - ScienceDirect https://www.sciencedirect.com
  14. General Chemistry Online: The Bliss Molecule https://antoine.frostburg.edu
  15. Cannabidiol enhances anandamide signaling and alleviates psychotic symptoms of schizophrenia https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  16. WHO Expert Committee on Drug Dependence Critical Review: Cannabidiol (CBD) https://www.who.int
Disclaimer:
This content is for educational purposes only. The information provided is derived from research gathered from external sources.

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Privacy Policy - Royal Queen Seeds

To ensure a safe online environment and guarantee adequate data protection, we strictly comply with all legal requirements. In this privacy statement, we provide information about how and for what purpose data is collected, safety measures, storage periods and contact details.


COMPANY NAME: SNORKEL SPAIN, SL (hereinafter ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS)

C/ Vilar d'Abdelà, 5 (nave 1) CP: 08170 de Montornès del Vallès

+34 937 379 846

support@royalqueenseeds.com


The present Privacy Policy sets out the terms on which we will treat personal data at ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS; this includes any personal data collected through our website https://www.royalqueenseeds.com/ as well as any other data we process in the course of our business activities.

ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS collects the following personal data for the purposes listed below:

SECTION 1 – PERSONAL INFORMATION WE COLLECT

1.1 Account purchases

Account purchases can only be made if you are in possession of a personal account. When you create an account or purchase something from our shop, as part of the buying and selling process we collect the following personal information that you provide to us:

This information is required for delivery. In addition, when you browse our shop, we automatically receive the Internet Protocol (IP) address of your computer. Based on this information, we can optimise your online experience and at the same time protect our online environment.

Purpose of data collection

We collect and store account-related data for the following purposes:

(a) to carry out obligations arising from any contracts between you and us, and to provide you with information, products and services that you may request from us;

(b) to set up, manage and communicate with you about your account and your orders;

(c) to conduct market research and analysis;

(d) to confirm your age and identity, and to detect and prevent fraud.

1.2 Newsletters

With your explicit permission, we may send you newsletters about our shop, new products and other updates. We send newsletters based on your explicit consent. In the event that you purchase a product, and in accordance with current regulations, we may send you commercial communications in accordance with the legitimate interest of our company, always about products or services similar to those you have purchased or contracted. In any case, you may exercise your right of opposition through the channels announced in this Privacy Policy. The following information is collected in relation to the newsletter:

We do not need to know the sex of the person in order to send the newsletter (data minimisation: by law we must ask for data that is strictly necessary to provide the service, and in this case knowing the sex is not necessary to send the newsletter).

Purpose of data collection

The data collected is used to:

(a) personalise our emails, including your name and gender;

(b) provide gender-specific content.

You can withdraw your consent at any time by using the link provided in the newsletter or the contact information provided in section 2.

1.3 Customer service and contact form

In order to provide appropriate support, our customer service employees have access to information related to the account. Consequently, their support will be highly effective and friendly. The data provided in our contact form is used by our CRM provider, SuperOffice. We will only use your details to respond to your message.

SECTION 2 – LEGITIMATE INTEREST

If you have purchased any of our products, please note that we may process your personal data for promotional purposes, based on Royal Queen Seeds' legitimate interest only to offer you products or services from our company and about products or services similar to those you have purchased. You may exercise your right to opt out of future messages by the means set out in this Privacy Policy or through any notification you receive.

2.1 How do you withdraw consent?

If you change your mind, you can withdraw your consent for us to contact you for the purpose of collecting, using, or disclosing your data at any time by reaching out to us at: support@royalqueenseeds.com.

SECTION 3 – DISCLOSURE

We may disclose your personal information if we are required to do so by law or if you breach our Terms of Service.

SECTION 4 – HOW LONG DO WE KEEP YOUR DATA?

At Royal Queen Seeds, we will not retain your data for longer than is necessary for the purposes described in this Policy. Different retention periods apply for different types of data; however, the longest period we will normally hold any personal data is 10 years.

4.1 Account information

Data relating to the account remains relevant for as long as the consumer is in possession of an account. Therefore, the data remains documented for as long as the account exists. When our customers delete an account, the associated data will be deleted within a reasonable period of time. Requests regarding the inspection or correction of stored personal data or the deletion of an account can be sent to support@royalqueenseeds.com.

4.2 Newsletters

In the event that you give us your consent to inform you about our products or services, we will keep your data until you express your wish not to receive any further communications from us. However, we regularly (every month) carry out a relevance check. Registered customers (and their personal information) will be deleted whenever customers do not reply to our request. In addition, our newsletter mailing has an opt-out feature. Consumers can withdraw their consent by using this opt-out feature.

SECTION 5 – COOKIES

Cookies are small information files that notify your computer of previous interactions with our website. These cookies are stored on your hard drive, not on our website. Essentially, when you use our website, your computer displays its cookies to us, informing our site that you have visited before. This allows our website to function more quickly and remember aspects related to your previous visits (such as your username), making your experience more convenient. At Royal Queen Seeds, we use two types of cookies: functional and analytical.

5.1 Functional Cookies

Functional cookies are used to enhance your online experience. Among other things, these cookies track what is added to your shopping cart. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

5.2 Analytical Cookies

Analytical cookies are used for research and market analysis. The data collected with these analytical cookies is anonymous, making it unusable for third parties. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

SECTION 5 – THIRD-PARTY SERVICES

Third-party services are required to conduct transactions and provide our services. In general, the third-party providers we use will only collect, use and disclose your information to the extent necessary to enable them to perform the services they provide to us.

However, certain third-party service providers, such as payment gateways and other payment transaction processors, have their own privacy policies regarding the information we must provide to them for your transactions.

We encourage you to read the privacy policies of these providers so that you can understand how these providers will handle your personal information.

In particular, certain suppliers may be located or have facilities located in a different jurisdiction than yours or ours. Therefore, if you choose to proceed with a transaction involving the services of a third party, your information may be subject to the laws of the jurisdiction in which that service provider or its facilities are located.

Once you leave our website or are redirected to a third-party website or application, you are no longer governed by this Privacy Policy or the Terms of Service of our website.

Web analytics service (anonymous data)

On this website we have integrated an element of a web analytics service (with anonymisation functionality). Web analytics can be defined as the gathering, processing and analysis of data about the behaviour of visitors to websites. An analytics service collects, among other things, data about which website a person came from (the so-called referrer), which sub-pages they visited or how often and for how long they visited a sub-page. Web analytics is mainly used for website optimisation and for a cost–benefit analysis of internet advertising.

Courier service

To complete deliveries we use a courier service. This courier service carries out the delivery between our company and the consumer's home. To complete these logistics, the company requires access to the consumer's name and address information.

Mailing service

Royal Queen Seeds uses a third-party mail service provider to send its newsletter. This provider has access to limited account information related to opt-in consent (e.g. email address).

Marketing services

Royal Queen Seeds has the support of a company that specialises in marketing and communication activities. Their access to personal information is very limited and mostly anonymous.

Payment services

At Royal Queen Seeds we use external payment services to handle our transactions (e.g. credit card payments).

SECTION 6 – SECURITY

To protect your personal information, we take reasonable precautions and follow industry standard best practices to ensure that it is not inappropriately lost, misused, accessed, disclosed, altered or destroyed.

If you provide us with your credit card information, the information is encrypted using secure socket layer technology (SSL) and stored using AES-256 encryption. Although no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, we follow all PCI-DSS requirements and implement additional industry standards that are commonly accepted. Information related to the account is protected with a hashing method. This method transforms the information into a generated hash. As a result, confidential information is protected and invisible, even to us. In addition, our databases are exceptionally protected against unauthorised access. For example, access to the database is only possible and permitted via approved IP addresses (e.g. from Royal Queen Seeds headquarters). Other attempts and addresses are rejected at all times.

Furthermore, data is anonymised as much as possible, so it cannot be directly linked to a specific consumer. With this data, however, we may be able to carry out market research and analysis. In addition, the third parties concerned (e.g. mailing service) are examined prior to our collaboration, comply with the GDPR from the EU and receive a processing agreement. Within Royal Queen Seeds, employees are assigned different access permissions. Specific permission provides access only to information that is strictly required to perform a task. Digital security measures are subject to change and must meet high requirements to ensure the safety of online customers. That is why, at Royal Queen Seeds, we appoint a security officer. Regular verification and improvement of security measures (where necessary) are part of the role.

SECTION 7 – CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

We reserve the right to modify this Privacy Policy at any time, so please check back regularly. Changes and clarifications will be effective immediately upon being published on the Website. If we make substantial changes to this policy, we will notify you here that it has been updated so you will know what information we collect, how we use it and under what circumstances, if any, we use and/or disclose it.

SECTION 8 – YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO: