Cannabis and the brain are more intricately connected than you might think.

While a lot of people may have the perception that weed dulls you down, the scientific proof tells us something quite different.

Researchers from the University of Bonn have taken it upon themselves to abolish the stupid stoner stereotype. The researchers worked alongside researchers from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel to conduct the cannabis study.

What they discovered was quite astounding: cannabis may increase the memories of older people and make their brain function just as well as a younger brain.

Psychoactive cannabinoid THC used in study of cannabis’ effects on the brain

This cannabis study involved feeding THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) to aging mice. The results showed how the plant actually increased brain power. University of Bonn researchers noticed how a “chronic low dose restores cognitive function in old mice.”

The older mice responded well to THC, with the cannabis study demonstrating equal performance among older animals and younger competitors.

“We treated old mice with a low dose of the active ingredient in cannabis,” said the professor at the Institute of Molecular Psychiatry, Andreas Zimmer, during an interview with Deutsche Welle.

The older mice that were administered with THC experienced a major improvement in learning and memory functions, as did the significantly younger mice.

“What we observed was quite staggering,” proclaimed Zimmer.

Tests were also carried out to determine the brain power of aging mice. A platform was hidden and the mice were given the task of uncovering and remembering its location. Fascinatingly, the older rodents performed just as well as the younger rodents.

The younger human memory could be worsened by cannabis use

Although the results of this cannabis study are hopeful, scientists believe that cannabis’ effects on human brains sit on the other end of the spectrum.

According to Zimmer, smoking cannabis will negatively impact a young humans’ memory. If a young person decides to quit smoking THC-rich cannabis, however, the effects can be reversed.

A separate study on cannabis’ effects on the brain showed how, among people with psychosis, patients with a history of cannabis use demonstrated better cognitive performance than those who had never tried cannabis.

The results of this study tell us that a person’s age at the onset of cannabis use could be an essential factor for IQ than use, current use or use frequency in CHR. Furthermore, the study suggests that those people who smoke cannabis at an older age may have a higher IQ in CHR youth.