Aspirin + Pot
November 5, 2007 5:34 AM Subscribe
Can a regimen of daily Aspirin reduce the cognitive deficiencies associated with pot-smoking due to the excess of Arachidonic acid (causing apoptosis) in hippocampal cells?
Lay it on me Metafilter.
Lay it on me Metafilter.
This post was deleted for the following reason: If you already know the answer, you don't need a bunch of non-doctors to chat about it. -- jessamyn
Best answer: Doesn't this line from the website answer the question?
"Neuron death induced by THC was inhibited by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, including indomethacin and aspirin, as well as vitamin E and other antioxidants."
If this is true, I'm gonna have to stock up on some acetaminophen?
posted by PowerCat at 5:44 AM on November 5, 2007
"Neuron death induced by THC was inhibited by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, including indomethacin and aspirin, as well as vitamin E and other antioxidants."
If this is true, I'm gonna have to stock up on some acetaminophen?
posted by PowerCat at 5:44 AM on November 5, 2007
Response by poster: Hey Powercat,
Yes, although it does answer the question it is still important that the hive-mind weighs in on this topic. Are there any budding biochemists or neuroscience students out there?
posted by Dayvan_Cowboy at 5:54 AM on November 5, 2007
Yes, although it does answer the question it is still important that the hive-mind weighs in on this topic. Are there any budding biochemists or neuroscience students out there?
posted by Dayvan_Cowboy at 5:54 AM on November 5, 2007
What happens in the petri dish is not always what happens in the brain. The "hive mind" of ask metafilter is not going to be able to answer your question, because it is an experimental one that would have to be performed longitudinally.
In other words, only a lab can answer your question.
I suggest you seek subsequent studies by the same authors, where they might have done some kind of testing on living humans. Since this paper was published only ten years ago, you may have a difficult time finding anything.
posted by fake at 6:12 AM on November 5, 2007 [1 favorite]
In other words, only a lab can answer your question.
I suggest you seek subsequent studies by the same authors, where they might have done some kind of testing on living humans. Since this paper was published only ten years ago, you may have a difficult time finding anything.
posted by fake at 6:12 AM on November 5, 2007 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Yes Fake we are all aware that in vitro is not the same as in vivo. The question here is if Arachidonic acid is responsible for hippocampal apoptosis, and if sok, does aspirin reduce the subsequent damage?
Don't be a smart-ass hive-mind!!!!!!1111dash11!!
posted by Dayvan_Cowboy at 6:17 AM on November 5, 2007
Don't be a smart-ass hive-mind!!!!!!1111dash11!!
posted by Dayvan_Cowboy at 6:17 AM on November 5, 2007
Maybe? The conclusions of the study point in that direction, but in vivo studies using (living) mice and eventually humans would be needed to prove it, and I'm not sure the logistics of those studies off the top of my head. So I wouldn't bank on anything that hasn't been tested in humans, especially since the dosages needed to work in vivo aren't known. But, if it makes you feel better, a daily regimen of baby aspirin doesn't hurt most people. (insert-not-a-doctor-or-neurological-researcher-disclaimer)
posted by fermezporte at 6:19 AM on November 5, 2007
posted by fermezporte at 6:19 AM on November 5, 2007
Besides the vivo/vitro caveat above, you can't attribute the persistent cognitive deficiencies, if any, to that specific neurotoxic activity.
posted by daksya at 6:20 AM on November 5, 2007
posted by daksya at 6:20 AM on November 5, 2007
Okay, didn't see the previous two comments. Why don't you get yourself on pubmed there and search for reviews? Jeez, fake just answered the question you asked.
posted by fermezporte at 6:22 AM on November 5, 2007
posted by fermezporte at 6:22 AM on November 5, 2007
I was not being a smartass. I am trying to help you. You are being rude.
Read my answer again: Your question cannot be answered conclusively without further experimental study. That means you need to:
A. Conduct such a study
B. Find papers by people who conducted such studies.
What people say in this thread doesn't matter. I am a student of the neurosciences, and people like fermezporte and daksya have it right.
posted by fake at 6:26 AM on November 5, 2007
Read my answer again: Your question cannot be answered conclusively without further experimental study. That means you need to:
A. Conduct such a study
B. Find papers by people who conducted such studies.
What people say in this thread doesn't matter. I am a student of the neurosciences, and people like fermezporte and daksya have it right.
posted by fake at 6:26 AM on November 5, 2007
I don't know how the question can be answered further. Yes, that [if Arachidonic acid is responsible for hippocampal apoptosis, and if so, does aspirin reduce the subsequent damage?] would be a reasonable prediction for a study, but it hasn't been performed, peer-reviewed or published yet, so we can't really say yes or no.
Of course, I don't know exactly where in various apoptotic pathways they are proposing arachidonic acid exerts its effects (or if they are at all - I'm not at work yet so can't access the whole article). If it's upstream of the big guys like caspase-3, then it's not gonna completely prevent apoptosis because other apoptotic signals converge on the pathway at different points.
posted by gaspode at 6:26 AM on November 5, 2007
Of course, I don't know exactly where in various apoptotic pathways they are proposing arachidonic acid exerts its effects (or if they are at all - I'm not at work yet so can't access the whole article). If it's upstream of the big guys like caspase-3, then it's not gonna completely prevent apoptosis because other apoptotic signals converge on the pathway at different points.
posted by gaspode at 6:26 AM on November 5, 2007
If this is true, I'm gonna have to stock up on some acetaminophen?
Acetaminophen is not an NSAID.
posted by OmieWise at 6:33 AM on November 5, 2007
Acetaminophen is not an NSAID.
posted by OmieWise at 6:33 AM on November 5, 2007
This thread is closed to new comments.
http://www.jneurosci.org/cgi/content/abstract/18/14/5322
posted by Dayvan_Cowboy at 5:37 AM on November 5, 2007