Title: A Scientific Explanation of How Marijuana Causes the Munchies  | Science   | Smithsonian Magazine
Headings: A Scientific Explanation of How Marijuana Causes the Munchies
A Scientific Explanation of How Marijuana Causes the Munchies
THC appears to increase our sensitivity to scents and flavors by using naturally occurring neural networks to convince the brain that it’s starving
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Content: If mice are an accurate model for humans, one of the ways that THC increases appetite is by making us more sensitive to the smells of food. Because scent and taste are so closely related, it likely allows us to better taste flavors as well. This new finding is likely just a piece of the THC-and-appetite puzzle. Previous research has found that the drug also acts on receptors in a region of the brain called the nucleus accumbens, increasing the release of the neurotransmitter dopamine —and the sensation of pleasure—that comes as a result of eating while high. Other work has found that THC additionally interacts with the same sorts of receptors in the hypothalamus, leading to release of the hormone ghrelin, which stimulates hunger. The one aspect that ties together these disparate mechanisms is that they all involve the brain's natural endocannabinoid systems. THC—and, by consequence, marijuana—does much of its work by manipulating the same pathways that the brain uses to normally regulate the senses. But perhaps most interesting is that the new study hints at a compelling metaphor for the way THC manipulates this natural system: it mimics sensations felt when we're deprived of food. As a final test, the researchers forced some mice to fast for 24 hours, and found that this drove up levels of natural cannabinoids in the olfactory lobe.