Even Worms Get the Munchies
hubie writes:
If you give a worm some weed, he might just need a snack. Worms exposed to a cannabinoid became even more interested in the kind of food they already prefer, new University of Oregon research shows. The effect is analogous to a cannabis user's craving potato chips and ice cream after a few puffs - a phenomenon scientists call "hedonic feeding," but known more colloquially as "the munchies."
[...] The endocannabinoid system is a far-reaching signaling network that helps regulate key body systems like appetite, mood, and pain sensation. Molecules called endocannabinoids send chemical messages by interacting with cannabinoid receptors, special proteins that are sprinkled throughout the body and brain. Normally, these messages help keep different body systems in balance. But certain compounds in cannabis, like THC, also interact with cannabinoid receptors, making users feel "high" after partaking and causing other effects, too.
[...] To see how cannabis-like substances might affect the worms' food preferences, Lockery's team soaked the worms in anandamide. Anandamide is an endocannabinoid, a molecule made by the body that activates the body's cannabinoid receptors.
Then, they put the worms into a T-shaped maze. On one side was high-quality food; on the other side, lower-quality food. Even under normal conditions, the worms prefer the high-quality food. But when soaked in anandamide, that preference became even stronger - they flocked to the high-quality food and stayed longer than usual.
"We suggest that this increase in existing preference is analogous to eating more of the foods you would crave anyway," Lockery said. "It's like choosing pizza versus oatmeal."
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