Scientists have discovered additional medical benefits from taking cannabis or marijuana.

Their research yielded results indicating the THC content of cannabis has a neuroprotective effect on the brain, making brain trauma less likely.

Researchers studied 446 adults treated at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Torrance, California that were being treated for traumatic brain injuries.

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Their research was built on previous studies showing how animals were similarly protected from brain trauma.

They found the death rate after traumatic injury decreased for patients who tested positive for tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active ingredient in marijuana. Patients that tested negative for it had increased death rates after injuries to the head.

According to the study published in The American Surgeon, one in five of the patients in the study tested positive for the cannabinoid, while only one in 10 died after their injury.

A similar report from Reuters stated that about 80 percent of patients that tested positive were less likely to die compared to people with negative THC numbers.

The reason cannabis is able to do this is because it protects neurons from oxidative stress, or an imbalance between the production of free radicals and the ability of the body to counteract or detoxify their harmful effects.

In short, cannabis allows neurons to resist the effects of free radicals, a material that can deteriorate and contribute to certain diseases.

Apart from that, cannabis can also stop brain inflammation from happening, which is usually caused by a viral infection.

Interestingly enough, the team also tested for alcohol, which previous studies claimed could also protect the brain. Alcohol, however, didn't turn out to be as protective as the presence of marijuana.

The team's only concern was they couldn't distinguish casual cannabis users from regular ones.

Despite its benefits, cannabis is still labeled by the United States government as a Schedule 1 drug. Bizarrely enough, however, the same government admits certain uses of cannabis can help battle Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, HIV and dementia.  

Tagscannabis, THC, Brain Trauma, tetrahydrocannabinol