Stress

Cannabis use blunts stress reactivity in female rats

Female rats that inhaled vaporized cannabis daily for a month developed a blunted physiological response to stress, according to a new study by WSU researchers. In contrast, male rats that were provided access to the same potency of cannabis over the same 30-day window did not experience any physiological changes in

Assessing how cannabis affects emotional well-being

In a first-of-its-kind study, Washington State University scientists examined how peoples’ self-reported levels of stress, anxiety and depression were affected by smoking different strains and quantities of cannabis at home. Their work, published this month in the Journal of Affective Disorders, suggests smoking cannabis can significantly reduce short-term levels of depression, anxiety, and stress but […]

Long-term cannabis use linked to muted stress response WSU study shows

A new study by Washington State University psychology researchers reveals a dampened physiological response to stress in chronic cannabis users. Using a nationally recognized procedure designed to provoke elevated levels of stress, Carrie Cuttler, clinical assistant professor of psychology, Ryan McLaughlin, assistant professor of integrative physiology and neuroscience, and colleagues in the WSU Department of […]