cannabisnews.com: Marijuana-Like Chemical Blamed in Seizures Marijuana-Like Chemical Blamed in Seizures Posted by CN Staff on August 19, 2003 at 12:54:16 PT By Reuters Source: Reuters Washington -- Infants who develop seizures when they are feverish are more prone to seizures later in life because of naturally occurring, marijuana-like substances in the brain, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday.Between 3 percent and 5 percent of infants develop febrile seizures, which are frightening to parents but generally harmless. Some of these babies grow up to be prone to a variety of seizures, including epilepsy. Writing in this week's issue of the journal Neuron, the team at the University of California, Irvine, said prolonged fever-induced seizures increase the brain's production of endocannabinoids.These substances help regulate the transmission of signals between brain cells. When they are produced at high levels over time, nerve cell receptors -- molecular doorways -- become more sensitive to their effects.Over a lifetime, this can raise the risk of epilepsy.Ivan Soltesz, a professor of anatomy and neurobiology who helped lead the study, said the findings were significant for two reasons."First, they provide a mechanistic explanation as to why febrile, or fever-induced, seizures in childhood lead to an increased susceptibility to seizures that lasts until adulthood," Soltesz said in a statement."Second, they suggest a new drug that interferes with this occurrence during childhood may significantly decrease the likelihood of future epileptic seizures. The components of these new drugs will likely be man-made chemicals distantly related to marijuana." Source: ReutersPublished: August 19, 2003Copyright: 2003 Reuters CannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #12 posted by FoM on August 20, 2003 at 07:05:24 PT boppy I know that during that time for me everything was not as it really was. The corridor at the hospital seemed like an airplane run way and yet it was not long at all. I've never had another seizure since then. I avoid taking drugs to this day. Actually I haven't been to see a Doctor since 94.DR. Russo, Thank you. I'm sure Cannabis can help prevent seizures. [ Post Comment ] Comment #11 posted by Ethan Russo MD on August 20, 2003 at 06:42:34 PT: Once More into the Breach I finally was able to read the original article. It is extremely technical, and I found it very challenging to read. The vast majority of MD's would not even understand it, as the concepts are cutting edge.However, as always, there are legitimate questions as to the applicability of this experimental rat data to humans. Febrile seizures are a type of convulsion induced by high temperatures in children between 6 months and 6 years of age. They are generally brief, benign, and do not necessitate ongoing intercurrent treatment with medicine. Wherease some 0.5-1% of people ever have a seizure, some 4% of kids who have febrile seizures will develop non-febrile seizures (or epilepsy). While that is a significant difference, it is not a severe problem in most instances. In this experiment, 10 day old rats had their body temperatures raised up to 42 degrees C (or 107.6 degrees F). That is extreme, and produces bichemical and histological changes in and of itself. Seizures lasted an average of 22 minutes. This, too, is extreme. Benign febrile seizures of childhood are normally 5 minutes or less. This type of duration is virtually always associated with an actual seizure disorder.Beyond all this, contrary to the press spin, there was nothing in the experiment, and nothing in the article itself that implies a deleterious effect of cannabis. Rather, the authors indicate, as previously demonstrated by Melisa Wallace and colleagues, that there is a likely therapeutic role of cannabinoid medicines in seizure treatment. [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by boppy on August 20, 2003 at 05:48:09 PT FoM I also had that high feeling following the seizure. I seem to remember that it was from the Dylantin (sp) that they were giving me through an IV. After a day of that I had to get off of it because it was too strong. Sounds sounded different to me. The computer sounds, the telephone ringing, the microwave going off all sounded like the pitch had been altered. It was me that was altered! My neurologist then put me on Tegretol which is like taking a vitamin. No more deja vu, though. I miss that! He explained that deja vu is actually a small seizure. It's an electrical discharge that the brain does and is normal. They don't know what causes it. That's today's medical lesson! [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by Patrick on August 19, 2003 at 20:41:34 PT It's all marijuana's fault… Washington -- Infants who develop seizures when they are feverish are more prone to seizures later in life because of naturally occurring, marijuana-like substances in the brain, Since marijuana is a controlled substance, federal authorities announced today that the 3%-5% of infants guilty of possession of this Schedule 1 substance shall be incarcerated and punished in accordance with federal law drug laws. The new DEA chief stated, perhaps they will learn that they cannot violate our drug laws without impunity no matter how young they are. [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by FoM on August 19, 2003 at 19:39:14 PT boppy Thank you for sharing your experience. I can remember how good I felt after the seizure. My problem was it didn't last because withdrawal pain returned. When you are going thru detox they won't let you have any contact with your family but they contacted my husband and let me talk to him because of the seizure. I remember being so happy. My husband knew I wasn't fine because I said I feel good but where am I. The brain is strange. I told the nurse I would feel better when I was able to smoke a little marijuana. They weren't going to let me out after I said that. I'll never forget how mean the Doctor looked at me. He said if you smoke Marijuana you will be back taking narcotics. That was in 94. He was very wrong. I went in because I was afraid I'd have a seizure and did anyway. Shouldn't have gone in I suppose. [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by boppy on August 19, 2003 at 19:26:17 PT me too... I had one seizure 4 years ago. I experienced very strong deja vu, then lightheadedness and down to the floor I went. My daughter heard me fall & called 911. The EMT's told me in the ambulance that I had had a seizure. My neurologist asked me the usual questions like, "Do you smoke, do you drink, use drugs" etc. He was more worried about what I drank than what I smoked, that is, cannabis. Then I asked specifically, "Is cannabis harmful for my condition?" His answer was, "Not in moderate amounts". That was all I had to hear. [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by OverwhelmSam on August 19, 2003 at 17:18:59 PT: Marijuana Cures Epelipsy! A better title would be, "Marijuana Cures Epelipsy!" [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by FoM on August 19, 2003 at 16:12:47 PT By The Way Dr. Russo I never thought I'd call a Doctor cool but I am now! Good luck with your new position too. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by FoM on August 19, 2003 at 13:57:33 PT Dr. Russo Thank you. I had a big seizures in the past. I remember only after it was over that I felt very good and felt fine and high. I had stopped taking prescription pain drugs and the second day is when I had a gran mal seizure they said it was. I don't know if I spelled that right.Thanks freedom fighter! [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by Ethan Russo MD on August 19, 2003 at 13:47:58 PT: Ahem FoM, you are absolutely right. Endocannabinoids regulate seizure threshold, and are likely released in response to the seizure, helping to stop it. Unfortunately, this article does not yet seem to be available, so I cannot comment further. Two articles of interest are these:http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11779037&dopt=Abstracthttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12359270&dopt=Abstract [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by freedom fighter on August 19, 2003 at 13:40:17 PT You mean Ditchweed? "Second, they suggest a new drug that interferes with this occurrence during childhood may significantly decrease the likelihood of future epileptic seizures. The components of these new drugs will likely be man-made chemicals distantly related to marijuana." distantly related to marijuana? very funny!FoM, you are right. The title should be "Marijuana-like Chemical helps in Seizures."pazff [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by FoM on August 19, 2003 at 12:56:36 PT This Doesn't Mean What It Says Maybe I'm wrong but endocannabinoids might be released to help stop a seizure. Does this make sense? [ Post Comment ] Post Comment