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Anxiety – Research on cannabinoids

Anxiety disorders are mental problems characterized by fear and worry. Studies have shown that cannabidiol (CBD) found in cannabis is effective in reducing anxiety.

These disorders cause high levels of anguish and distress, interfering with the ability to live normally. There are several recognized types of anxiety disorders, such as panic syndrome, social anxiety disorder, specific phobias and generalized anxiety disorders. Just having an anxiety attack is not enough to characterize a disorder, so it must persist for at least six months.

Panic syndrome causes sudden feelings of terror, without any warning. Social anxiety disorder, also called social phobia, causes overwhelming feelings of worry and complexities about everyday social situations. Generalized anxiety disorders cause excessive and unrealistic tension and worry about non-threatening or low-risk situations.

In addition to feelings of panic, fear and discomfort, anxiety disorders can cause sleep problems, cold or sweaty hands and feet, shortness of breath, palpitations, dry mouth, inability to remain calm and still, numbness in the hands and feet, nausea, muscle tension and dizziness.

The causes of anxiety are not yet fully understood, but according to WebMD, research suggests that it is manifested by a combination of factors, including environmental stress and changes in the brain. Anxiety disorders are often associated with other physical or mental illnesses, as well as alcohol and substance abuse.

Treatments for anxiety may include consultation with a mental health professional and medication to alleviate symptoms. Before starting treatment it may be necessary to treat other related conditions, such as alcoholism or drug abuse.

Discoveries about the effects of cannabis on anxiety

While tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) has been shown to increase anxiety in both animal and human studies, another cannabinoid found in the cannabis plant – cannabidiol (CBD) – has anxiolytic effects 8, 9, 10, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19.

One study found that CBD significantly reduced anxiety, cognitive impairment, and discomfort in patients with social phobia before performing in public 3. A similar study found that CBD has anxiolytic effects in individuals undergoing a simulated public speaking test 20. Another found that CBD significantly reduced subjective anxiety in individuals diagnosed with social phobia 6.

Cannabinoids have demonstrated the ability to reverse stress-induced anxiety by inhibiting fatty acid amide hydrolase, the enzyme that degrades anandamide 4. This is likely due to the cannabinoid’s interaction with cannabinoid receptors, especially CB2, as they have been shown to inhibit fatty acid amide hydrolase and decrease the propensity for anxiety 11, 12, 15. One study found that CBD, through the activation of cannabinoid receptors, offered anxiolytic effects to stressed mice 5. Another study, however, showed that it was the 5-HT1A receptors activated by CBD that caused anxiolytic effects in rats 13. In yet another, the action of CBD in limbic and paralimbic areas of the brain was shown to be responsible for its anxiolytic properties 7.

Recent studies on CBD and anxiety

Referência:

  1. Anxiety & Panic Disorders Health Center: Anxiety Disorders. (n.d.). WebMD. Retrieved from
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  2. Anxiety Disorders. (2015, May). National Institute of Mental Health. Retrieved from
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  3. Bergamaschi, M.M., Queiroz, R.H.C., Chagas, M.H.N., de Oliveira, D.C.G., De Martinis, B.S., Kapczinski, F., Quevedo, J., Roesler, R., Schroeder, N., Nardi, A.E., Martin-Santos, R., Hallak, J.E., Zuardi, A.W., and Crippa, J.A.S. (2011). Cannabidiol Reduces the Anxiety Induced by Simulated Public Speaking in Treatment-Naïve Social Phobia Patients. Neuropsychopharmacology, 36(6), 1219–1226. Retrieved from
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    http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00213-010-2036-z.
  14. Lee, J.L.C., Bertoglio, L.J., Guimaraes, F.S., and Stevenson, C.W. (2017, March 9). Cannabidiol regulation of emotion and emotional memory processing: relevance for treating anxiety-related and substance abuse disorders. British Journal of Pharmacology, doi: 10.1111/bph.13724 [Epub ahead of print]. Retrieved from
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* Credit: Self-portrait by Gustave Courbet, French realist painter (1819 – 1877).

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