ABSTRACT
Key Words: basal ganglia, parkinson’s disease, huntington’s disease, tourette’s syndrome, dystonia, spasticity
INTRODUCTION
The recreational and medicinal properties of the marijuana plant have been known by humankind since ancient times. Today, the plant is primarily used for its euphorogenic properties, despite its continuing illegal status. But even for the common user, one of the many physiological effects known to be induced by the active ingredients in the plant is especially striking, that is, the effects on movement. The major recognized effect of marijuana on movement is the induction of hypoactivity. Nevertheless, as will be described below, the hypoactive states induced by these
a state of hyperreflexia uncommon to other drugs inducing depression of the central nervous system. Other than the effects on general activity in humans, cannabinoids are known to induce small impairments in motor coordination (Dewey, 1986; Hall et al., 1994; Hollister, 1986; Martin et al., 1994; Wilson et al., 1994).
