Pantagruelion
Cannabinoids receptors and schizophrenia:From Haschich to Schizophrenia
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Apparently,no research yet has been made concerning the involvement of
cannabinoids receptors and schizophrenia.However,direct introspective
observations with Cannabis sativa,together with theoretical considerations
about thoughts abnormality in schizophrenics,lead to the strong feeling that
anandamide(or other similar endogenous
cannabinoid-mimetics)is,definitely,involved in the disturbed thought process
of schizophrenics.Especially,anandamide function should be disturbed in the
hippocampus and in other
areas involved in memory or recall(the hippocampus is a structure of
convergence where stored memories in different parts of the brain converge in
order to be recalled.The hippocampus is essential for remembering,not for
memorising per se).
Cannabinoids induce a phenomenon called "illusion" which is something
completely distinct from hallucinations.Illusions are the main phenomena which
give rise to the peculiar thinking of schizophrenics.
The Illusionised Consciousness or the Schizophrenic Mind
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In I845,Dr Joseph Moreau de Tours published his famous book about haschich and
madness under the title:Du Haschich et de l'Aliénation Mentale(Masson,Paris
I845,France).
This book was translated into English only in the I97O's through Raven
Press,if my memory is correct.
Moreau de Tours was a real savant,a man curious about everything and willing
to test "experimental madness", induced by haschich, in order to try to
understand real madness.
His book has been unequaled ,as far as introspection is concerned.With this
book Joseph Moreau de Tours became the father of introspective
psychopharmacology.Unfortunately,he did not have many spiritual sons in this
field until now,as some "scientists" think that rats and mice can better
report what they feel under psychotropic drugs!
Moreau de Tours ,accurately ,perceived that haschich had something to do with
real madness because haschich can induce illusions.So what are illusions?
Illusion is a state of consciousness where exogenous perceived informational
patterns are wrongly identified by memory.This error of identification leads
to false recognition of exogenous patterns which,in turn,leads to false
consciousness of events.The phenomenon of illusion can make us
conscious,"aware",of things which are non-existent in the exogenous
reality(exoreality)! It is through this phenomenon that a schizophrenic can
correctly perceive an outside person but wrongly identify this person as som
eone else like,let say,Napoléon or the Virgin Mary,etc.Illusions should not be
confused with hallucinations as these phenomena are completely
different.Hallucinations alone are not sufficient to transform a normal person
into a schizophrenic while illusions are sufficient per se.To be crazy you
just need to be illusionised! As the stimulation of cannabinoid receptors lead
to illusions,it is then very logical to deduce that anandamide(and related
endogenous compounds)should play a crucial role in schizoph
renia.This remains to be investigated but I have no doubt that indeed
disturbances of anandamide functions will be found in schizophrenics.As
illusions are also very common in normal dreams,anandamide metabolism in the
dream state should be different from anandamide metabolism in the waking
state.New medications blocking the action of anandamide on cannabinoid
receptors could well be novel antipsychotics!
Claude Rifat
