Deck 13: Marijuana and the Cannabinoids

Question 1

Which statement about the uses of marijuana is false?

A) Hemp was originally grown in colonial America for its psychoactive properties.
B) Hemp has important non-drug purposes, and is used in rope, cloth, and paper.
C) Cannabis plants contain more than 60 cannabinoids, some with psychoactive properties that make the plant attractive as a drug.
D) Religious use of marijuana dates back to ancient China and India.

Answer 1

Hemp was originally grown in colonial America for its psychoactive properties.

Question 2

The major psychoactive ingredient of the marijuana plant is

A) cannabinol.
B) $\Delta$ 9-tetrahydrocannabinol.
C) anandamide.
D) $\Delta$ 6-tetrahydrocannabinol.

Answer 2

$\Delta$ 9-tetrahydrocannabinol.

Question 3

Which statement regarding the most prevalent CNS cannabinoid receptor is false?

A) It was discovered in 1988 by two independent groups of researchers.
B) It is an ionotropic receptor, currently designated CB₁.
C) It plays a role in locomotor activity, coordination, and memory.
D) It is expressed in the basal ganglia, cerebellum, hippocampus, and cortex.

Answer 3

It is an ionotropic receptor, currently designated CB₁.

Question 4

Which statement about the endocannabinoids is false?

A) They are synthesized by FAAH.
B) They include arachidonic derivatives such as 2-AG and anandamide.
C) They are not stored in vesicles.
D) They are synthesized and released when needed, probably in response to Ca²⁺.

Question 5

Endocannabinoids contribute to retrograde signaling in the hippocampus by

A) blocking the reuptake transporters.
B) blocking CB₁ autoreceptors on the presynaptic terminals.
C) inhibiting Ca²⁺-mediated GABA release.
D) activating the CB₁ receptors and increasing GABA release.

Question 6

To study the role of the endogenous cannabinoids, scientists have used mice genetically engineered to _______ and _______.

A) lack these compounds; drugs that block CB₁ receptors
B) lack CB₁ and CB₂ receptors; drugs that block CB₁ receptors
C) overexpress CB₁ receptors; drugs that prevent metabolism of these compounds
D) overexpress these compounds; drugs that enhance synthesis of these compounds

Question 7

Mice lacking CB₁ receptors or normal mice treated with a CB₁ antagonist

A) show decreased sensitivity to pain.
B) exhibit decreased food intake.
C) show decreased anxiety-like behaviors
D) show decreased conditioned fear responses.

Question 8

Cannabinoids could be used therapeutically to treat all of the following except

A) neuropathic pain.
B) mood disorders.
C) nausea.
D) obesity.

Question 9

Moreau is sometimes referred to as the "father of psychopharmacology," mainly because he

A) introduced hashish to high society in nineteenth-century Paris.
B) was responsible for founding the "club of hashish eaters."
C) was one of the first to study the possible relationship between hashish use and mental illness.
D) was a researcher who studied drugs and personally experimented with hashish.

Question 10

Which of the following is not an adverse reaction to marijuana?

A) Anxiety or panic, especially in first time users
B) Feelings of paranoia, with high doses
C) Nausea and gastrointestinal upset
D) Depression or dysphoria

Question 11

Marijuana-induced deficits in memory can be reduced by administration of

A) cannabidiol (CBD).
B) alcohol.
C) 2-AG.
D) anandamide.

Question 12

The reinforcing effects of THC are dependent on _______, and involve _______.

A) CB₂ receptors; decreased dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens
B) $\mu$ -opioid receptors; decreased endocannabinoid release in the nucleus accumbens
C) CB₁ receptors; increased dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens
D) $\kappa$ -opioid receptors; increased glutamate release in the prefrontal cortex

Question 13

Marijuana appears to stimulate dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens via inhibition of _______ release in the _______.

A) glutamate; VTA
B) GABA; VTA
C) glutamate; substantia nigra
D) GABA; substantia nigra

Question 14

According to research, which factor is most likely to encourage an individual to progress from occasional to heavy marijuana use?

A) The person is a risk-taker.
B) The person has nagging, over-involved parents.
C) The person's first experiences with marijuana were positive.
D) The person has too many adult responsibilities.

Question 15

What happens during precipitated withdrawal from cannabinoids in animal studies?

A) The THC being administered is withdrawn.
B) The CB₁ antagonist SR 141716A is administered.
C) The CB₁ drugs WIN 55,212-2 and SR 141716A are administered at the same time to precipitate withdrawal.
D) THC is stopped and SR 141716A is administered.

Question 16

Which statement regarding treatment of cannabis dependence is false?

A) It may include outpatient programs offering cognitive behavior therapy and relapse prevention therapy.
B) It is much more successful than treatment of other drug dependence problems, with very little relapse.
C) It can include pharmacotherapy with antidepressants and mood stabilizers.
D) It could someday include the use of oral THC to moderate marijuana cravings.

Question 17

Which of the following is not a characteristic of amotivational syndrome?

A) Anxiety
B) Lack of planning
C) Decreased productivity
D) Apathy

Question 18

Recent longitudinal cohort studies investigating the relationship between heavy marijuana use and risk for developing psychosis

A) show that there is no relationship between the two.
B) indicate that early, heavy use of marijuana decreases the risk of later psychosis.
C) suggest that early, heavy marijuana use doubles the risk of later development of psychotic symptoms.
D) cannot be taken seriously because of individual differences.

Question 19

Recent imaging studies have demonstrated some evidence of abnormalities or alterations in several brain structures, including the _______ and the _______.

A) amygdala; nucleus accumbens
B) hippocampus; prefrontal cortex
C) hypothalamus; prefrontal cortex
D) VTA; limbic system

Question 20

Which health effect of chronic marijuana use is least substantiated?

A) Increased risk of bronchitis
B) Decreased resistance to viral infections
C) Reduction in reproductive function
D) Increased development of precancerous lung conditions

Question 21

Synthetic designer cannabinoids have been called

A) "Smack."
B) "THC2."
C) "CB2."
D) "Spice."

Question 22

Describe the historical use of marijuana as agricultural commodity, medicine, and recreational drug in the United States. What role did Anslinger and various regulatory policies have on this use?

Question 23

Describe the evidence, from animal studies, that the endocannabinoids are involved in the extinction of learned fear responses.

Question 24

Identify several factors that may increase an adolescent's likelihood of using marijuana in the first place, or progressing from initial to regular use.