Role of the Cannabinoid System in the Limbic System

The limbic system plays an important role in neural mechanisms related to emotion and memory. Hallucinogenic drugs are a factor affecting the functioning of this system and interfering with its nervous system regulation. Recent studies on adolescent users of hallucinogenic drugs, such as marijuana, have shown some degree of behavioral and emotional disorders. Cannabinoids, compounds forming marijuana, acting via its receptors throughout the brain.
These ligands bind to their receptors in parts of the limbic system (the amygdala, prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, thalamus and hypothalamus) and lead to changes in the expression of neurotransmitters and neural pathways in the brain. These alterations influence emotional behavior.