Authors: Sarah E. Watling; Talwinder Gill; Erin V. Gaudette; J. Don Richardson; Tina McCluskey; Junchao Tong; Jeffrey H. Meyer; Jerry Warsh; Rakesh Jetly; Michael G. Hutchison; Shawn G. Rhind; Sylvain Houle; Stephen J. Kish; Isabelle Boileau · Research
How Does Cannabis Use Affect Brain Inflammation in PTSD Patients?
New research reveals how cannabis use may increase brain inflammation in PTSD patients, with implications for treatment.
Source: Watling, S. E., Gill, T., Gaudette, E. V., Richardson, J. D., McCluskey, T., Tong, J., Meyer, J. H., Warsh, J., Jetly, R., Hutchison, M. G., Rhind, S. G., Houle, S., Kish, S. J., & Boileau, I. (2023). Investigating TSPO levels in occupation-related posttraumatic stress disorder. Scientific Reports, 13, 4970. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-31327-y
What you need to know
- Regular cannabis use in PTSD patients was associated with higher levels of brain inflammation markers
- Male PTSD patients and those with childhood trauma showed trends toward increased brain inflammation
- Stress hormone levels (cortisol) were linked to inflammation markers only in PTSD patients, suggesting a unique stress response
The Connection Between PTSD and Brain Inflammation
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affects millions of people worldwide, with first responders and military personnel at particularly high risk. While we know that PTSD impacts mental health, researchers are still working to understand how it affects the brain at a cellular level. One area of interest is neuroinflammation - the brain’s immune response that can be triggered by stress and trauma.
The Role of Microglia in PTSD
Think of microglia as the brain’s immune system workers. Just as your body’s immune system responds to injury or infection, microglia respond to stress and trauma in the brain. When activated, these cells can change their shape and function, potentially contributing to PTSD symptoms. Researchers can measure microglial activation by looking at a protein called TSPO, which acts like a signal flag indicating increased immune activity in the brain.
Cannabis Use and Brain Inflammation
One of the study’s most striking findings was that PTSD patients who regularly used cannabis showed 41.6% higher levels of TSPO - suggesting increased brain inflammation - compared to PTSD patients who didn’t use cannabis. This is particularly important as cannabis is increasingly being explored as a potential treatment for PTSD symptoms. While cannabis might help some symptoms, this research suggests it could potentially increase inflammation in the brain.
The Stress Response Connection
The study found an interesting relationship between the stress hormone cortisol and brain inflammation, but only in PTSD patients. Higher cortisol levels were linked to higher TSPO levels, suggesting that the stress response system works differently in people with PTSD. This could help explain why stress affects PTSD patients differently than others.
What This Means for You
If you or someone you know has PTSD:
- Be cautious about using cannabis as a treatment without medical supervision
- Consider discussing these findings with your healthcare provider, especially if you currently use cannabis
- Remember that PTSD affects everyone differently, and treatment plans should be personalized
- Keep in mind that this is one study and more research is needed to fully understand these relationships
Conclusions
- The relationship between PTSD and brain inflammation is complex and may be influenced by factors like cannabis use and stress hormone levels
- Cannabis use may increase brain inflammation in PTSD patients, suggesting caution in its use as a treatment
- Individual factors like biological sex and trauma history may affect how PTSD impacts brain inflammation