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A seizure is “a sudden, uncontrolled burst of electrical activity in the brain” that leads to “changes in behavior, movements, feelings, and levels of consciousness,” according to the Mayo Clinic. Seizures can have different causes. Sometimes, a medical condition like epilepsy can be the reason. So can certain drugs.
One drug that has received more scrutiny in this regard is marijuana. Its growing legalization for medical purposes has meant that more people are using it or considering using it–and asking about its relationship to seizures.
Meanwhile, there seems to be some confusion on the internet about the relationship between marijuana and seizures. Depending on the forum, conversation thread, or research source, marijuana can either contribute to seizures or have anti-seizure benefits. What is the real scoop? This article will explore what we know about seizures, marijuana, the research on their relationship, and other aspects of the topic so that you can make an informed decision.
Understanding Seizures
Scientists have counted at least 30 kinds of seizures, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). These many kinds of seizures fall roughly into two official “categories,” generalized seizures and focal seizures. The below information about these two categories comes from the National Institute of Health’s NIH Medline Plus Magazine:
- Generalized seizures affect both sides of the brain at the same time and may be characterized by a loss of consciousness, muscle spasms, falling to the ground, crying out (grand mal seizure) or rapid blinking or staring into space (petit mal seizure).
- Focal seizures occur in one part of the brain. Symptoms might include twitching, a change in taste or smell, or an inability to respond to questions or directions for a few minutes.
Causes of Seizures
Seizures can have various causes. Something as simple as an electrolyte imbalance—high levels of salt or sugar in one’s blood—can bring on a seizure. So can rapid withdrawal from certain substances. Often, the cause of a seizure is unknown.
Epilepsy
The word “epilepsy” means “seizure disorder.” It causes recurring seizures and is often diagnosed when a person has two seizures within the span of 24 hours.
Other Neurological Conditions
Seizures can happen after a stroke or head injury, like a concussion. They can also be caused by an infection like meningitis.
Marijuana: Overview and Composition
Brief History of Marijuana
Marijuana, which comes from the leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds of the cannabis plant, has been in use in various forms for a very long time. As early as 2727 B.C., the plant cannabis (from which marijuana is derived) was being used for medical purposes, according to the Chinese emperor at that time (Shen Nung).
Components of Marijuana
Marijuana contains two key compounds that have been FDA-approved for medical purposes:
- Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana.
- Cannabidiol (CBD), unlike THC, does not produce a “high” and is being used to treat certain conditions, including a rare seizure disorder.
Different Strains and Their Effects
Today, there are many strains of marijuana known to produce very different effects. The potency of these various strains can vary greatly as well.
The Endocannabinoid System (ECS)
What Is the ECS and Its Role in Regulating Bodily Functions?
Marijuana acts on the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS). What is the ECS, and what does it do? The ECS is a homeostatic system that plays a critical role in regulating the nervous system and other key bodily functions like digestion, appetite, mood, and coordination, among other processes.
An article by Harvard Medical School described the ECS as “a vast network of chemical signals and cellular receptors that are densely packed throughout our brains and bodies.” There are so many ECS receptors that they outnumber many of the other types in the brain, the same article said. It went on to explain that by regulating the activity of other neurotransmitters, ECS receptors also regulate body functions like hunger, temperature, and alertness.
How Marijuana Interacts with the ECS
Marijuana binds to certain receptors in the ECS that govern various physiological processes. By binding to these receptors, marijuana shapes their influence on key bodily functions. For example, THC binds to CB1 receptors. These CB1 receptors govern things like pain modulation, cognition, motor control, and emotional behavior. By binding to these receptors, THC impacts their functions so that, for instance, many users have reported decreased pain and more of an appetite.
Research on Marijuana and Seizures
Early Studies and Anecdotal Evidence
Most cases of seizures occurring after smoking marijuana have been documented in adolescents, people with undiagnosed underlying health problems, and first-time cannabis users. One study found that, in severe cases, seizures occurred in children who ingested marijuana. Another study noted a link between marijuana abuse and seizures in older people.
Clinical Trials and Their Findings
A 2017 animal study involving mice receiving doses of cannabis containing high amounts of THC found that mice not only suffered seizures but also had difficulty breathing and walking. The researchers behind the study also emphasize the fact that marijuana cultivators are getting better at growing high-potency cannabis, or cannabis containing extra THC.
A few studies have investigated the possibility of weed-induced seizures in some people. One study found that long-term marijuana users who abstained for extended periods of time experienced serious cognitive disturbances involving learning, memory, attention, executing thinking, anxiety, and depression. Researchers suggest that such results indicate that chronic cannabis use may permanently alter brain architecture and functioning in brain areas associated with seizures.
Neuroimaging scans show that heavy, daily cannabis use over many years impairs blood flow and metabolic processes in the prefrontal, cerebellar, temporal, and frontal brain regions. This impairment could lead to acute-onset seizures or the development of tremors in the hands and legs.
Research into how marijuana impacts the brain and nervous system reveals significant abnormalities in structural and functional components of the brain. Chronic marijuana users have specific brain areas that are smaller than the brains of non-users. What is especially interesting is that the brain region experiencing reduced volume is the same region associated with substance addiction– the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC).
Although tests reveal that long-term pot smokers have lower IQ scores compared to non-users, the difference in cognitive abilities does not seem to correlate with the brain abnormalities detected by MRIs. Instead, researchers suggest that an increase in functional and structural connectivity resulting from the loss of gray matter (i.e., the OFC) is the result of the brain’s natural ability to compensate for arbitrary damage. However, the study asserts that this structural connectivity, or re-wiring of the brain, eventually begins deteriorating if chronic marijuana use continues.
Medical Use of Marijuana for Seizures
Alongside these studies, other evidence would seem to support the medical use of marijuana for seizures. Millions of people have watched the video of a man with Parkinson’s disease consuming a small amount of medical marijuana and experiencing the elimination of severe tremors. Within minutes, Larry is tremor-free, his muscles are no longer rigid, he speaks clearly, and he can hold his hands perfectly still in front of him.
What does research indicate about the effectiveness of marijuana and CBD oil for controlling seizures? Does CBD really help control tremors and seizures associated with neurological disorders like Parkinson’s disease?
The endocannabinoid system (ECS) of receptors and the immune system seem to benefit the most from marijuana treatment for seizures and tremors. Two receptors, CB1R and CB2R, are scattered throughout the nervous system and found in immune cells called microglia. People with epilepsy or other neurodegenerative disorders involving tremors have abnormal cell signaling that isn’t properly balanced. The result is overexcited signaling without the control of inhibitory responses.
CBD and THC mediate this imbalance by causing ECS receptors to release chemicals that restore balance to cell signaling. Additionally, immune cells with endocannabinoid receptors use CBD/THC to reduce neuroinflammation by releasing anti-inflammatory molecules called cytokines.
Epidiolex: FDA-Approved CBD Medication for Epilepsy
The medication “Epidiolex” is one example of how marijuana, or at least its compound CBD, can help prevent some seizures. Even though scientists are not sure exactly how CBD works to reduce the brain’s excitability and, in turn, seizures, Epidiolex has reportedly demonstrated significant success as an anticonvulsant for certain kinds of seizures.
Other Forms of Medical Marijuana and Their Effectiveness
Research elsewhere hints at other potential forms of medical marijuana for seizures. For example, researchers at Stanford University’s School of Medicine found in 2021 that a “release of the brain’s equivalent of THC, marijuana’s active component, reduces seizure activity but leads to post-seizure oxygen deprivation in the brain.”
Potential Mechanisms of Action
In addition to discovering that gray matter composing areas of the OFC is more vulnerable to marijuana’s primary psychoactive constituent, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), researchers in the study above asserted that chronic use of marijuana appears to launch an intricate process that encourages neurons to make new connections to compensate for impaired areas of the OFC. However, further studies are indicated to determine if THC-caused changes to the brain are reversible when marijuana use is discontinued and if these effects also occur within the brain of an occasional marijuana user.
Risks and Side Effects
Marijuana use has short and long-term side effects.
Short-Term Side Effects of Marijuana Use
Marijuana use impacts people differently, and the short-term side effects can vary quite a bit, depending on the person. Some side effects might be:
- Altered perception of reality
- Changes in mood
- Panic attacks
- Relaxation or sleepiness
- Disorientation
- Dizziness
- Coordination issues
Users may even experience hallucinations and/or psychosis, especially if they have certain mental health conditions or are taking high-potency marijuana.
Long-Term Risks and Considerations
The long-term risks of marijuana use can be serious to reckon with:
- Potentially adverse consequences for brain development in younger users
- Schizophrenia and psychosis in people who have more of a predisposition for these conditions
- Lung damage, stroke, and heart disease from smoking
- “Cannabis hyperemesis syndrome” or severe, frequent vomiting that can happen with higher, more long-term consumption of THC
- Periodontal disease
Are Younger Brains More Susceptible to THC’s Effects?
The National Institute on Drug Abuse discusses additional studies that indicate chronic marijuana use by young people is more detrimental to brain functioning than if marijuana is used later in life. Specifically, damage occurs to areas of the brain responsible for learning and memory, which explains why one New Zealand study found that people who were heavy marijuana smokers in their teens, 20s, and 30s lost eight IQ points over several decades of smoking every day. More importantly, lost or reduced cognitive abilities were never restored in those who stopped using marijuana as adults.
Why Chronic Marijuana Users Seem to be “Fine”
The unusual structural wiring increase seen in long-term marijuana users starts to decline after about seven years, although users continue displaying more dynamic functional connectivity than non-users. Neuroscientists think this explains why long-time users of marijuana seem to be able to function normally in society, unlike heroin or methamphetamine addicts.
Drug Interactions and Contraindications
Using marijuana to reduce symptoms of neurological disorders does have several contraindications that carry risks of adverse side effects:
- Alcohol (THC can intensify the effects of alcohol)
- Protease inhibitors/antiviral medications (marijuana may reduce the effectiveness of these drugs)
- Anticoagulants (marijuana may increase the risk of bleeding)
- Antidepressants/SSRIs (some studies suggest marijuana could increase the risk of manic episodes)
The Added Risk of Addiction to Marijuana
Disruption of the orbitofrontal cortex not only impairs cognitive abilities but also affects emotional and behavioral functioning as well. Primary disorders of damaged OFC circuitry involve emotion regulation, impulse control, decision-making skills, and expectation of reward– all disorders found in the substance abuse population.
So, what do all these study results have to do with marijuana causing seizures? A lot, according to clinical research. Seizures occur when something disrupts the ability of neurons to create and transmit electrical signals to other neurons. Seizures may also occur when neurons can’t receive and interpret signals from other neurons.
Marijuana contains chemicals like THC and CBD that interfere with normal neuronal activity in unpredictable ways. Underlying medical problems such as low blood sodium, blood vessel abnormalities in the brain, and undetected brain tumors can exacerbate the response your brain has to marijuana consumption.
Marijuana Addiction: Real or Not?
Marijuana use disorder affects about 30 percent of people who use pot daily for medical or non-medical reasons. Teen marijuana users are up to seven times more likely to eventually suffer from marijuana use disorder than adults. While not physically addicting like heroin, marijuana can be a psychologically addicting drug that causes withdrawal symptoms affecting mood, emotions, sleep, and appetite.
The severity of anxiety, agitation, insomnia, cravings, and depression that a chronic marijuana user experiences after abstaining for 24 hours is often bad enough to cause relapse. There may also be an increased risk of seizures and tremors in some users affected by reduced gray matter in the brain.
For help with a marijuana problem, call FHE Health. Our treatment programs are designed to address the individualized roots of any drug or alcohol problem, including marijuana.
