Researchers using fMRI have found medical marijuana may significantly relieve chronic nerve pain, according to research published online Sept. 5 in Neurology.
The research team examined the effects of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on treating radicular pain, or nerve pain that is rooted in the spine and spreads to the legs, by reducing connections between the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and the sensorimotor cortex—areas of the brain that process emotions and sensory signals.
“Pain is a complex experience that involves both the senses and emotions,” said study author Haggai Sharon, MD, of the Sagol Brain Institute at the Tel Aviv Medical Center in Israel, in a prepared statement. “Our study results link pain relief from THC with a reduction in the connections between areas of the brain otherwise heavily connected, suggesting that THC may alleviate pain by disrupting signals between these pain processing pathways.”
The study included 15 men with an average age of 33 years and with chronic radicular nerve pain for more than six months; women were not included due to hormone fluctuations from menstruation affecting pain sensitivity.
Participants pain levels were rated and evaluated with fMRI scans before being given either 15 milligrams of THC or a placebo.
Participants who were given THC experienced an almost 50 percent decrease in pain levels, according to the researchers. Specifically, on a scale of zero to 100 before taking medication, participants rated their pain levels at 53. After taking the THC oil, their pain levels averaged 35, compared to an average of 43 for those given the placebo.
Overall, the researchers found that pain relief from THC was tied to the connection between areas of the brain responsible for emotion and sensory processing prior to treatment.
The research was funded by the Yahel Foundation and the Israeli Ministry of Science, Technology and Space.
A recent graduate from Dominican University (IL) with a bachelor’s in journalism, Melissa joined TriMed’s Chicago team in 2017 covering all aspects of health imaging. She’s a fan of singing and playing guitar, elephants, a good cup of tea, and her golden retriever Cooper.