Cannabinoids, interoception, and anxiety.
Pharmacology, biochemistry, and behavior May 1, 2019 Allyson K Andrade, Briana Renda, Jennifer E Murray
Cannabis use is becoming legal across North America, raising the need to understand its effects. THC, the main psychoactive component, may increase the risk of mental health disorders. This review examines how cannabis and endocannabinoid activation affect subjective interoceptive (internal) states and their relation to anxiety. Human studies use self-report questionnaires, while non-human studies use proxy measures like the elevated plus maze and fear conditioning. Research shows that cannabinoid activation has biphasic effects: lower doses appear anxiolytic, higher doses anxiogenic. Historically, tight regulatory control has limited research, but changing legal status may ease access for future studies.