Cannabis-related anxiety may involve a small group of brain cells that become more active when cannabinoids weaken their normal restraints. Northwestern University researchers gave mice a synthetic cannabinoid before exposing them to a threatening odor derived from fox urine. Compared with mice given a placebo, treated mice froze more often and explored the scent less. Brain recordings and tissue experiments linked these behaviors to cells in a region that processes fear. Genetically silencing those cells reduced avoidance of the odor, suggesting they help drive the response. Higher doses and stress appeared to reinforce each other. The findings offer a possible explanation for why cannabis can feel calming in one setting but frightening in another. However, this animal study does not establish how cannabis affects human anxiety or identify a proven treatment.
