A team of researchers based in Mexico say they have uncovered scientific evidence that people who use cannabis display higher levels of empathy compared to those who do not.
The study, published in the Journal of Neuroscience Research, had 85 regular cannabis users and 51 non-users complete a series of psychometric assessments. A subset of 46 users and 34 non-users also underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging scans.
The psychological tests showed that regular cannabis users tended to be better at recognising and understanding the emotional states of those around them.
The brain imaging results added further weight to this finding, revealing that the anterior cingulate — a region known to be influenced by cannabis use and linked to empathy — showed stronger connections to areas of the brain involved in reading others' emotions.
Co-author Víctor Olalde-Mathieu, of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, said: "Although further research is needed, these results open an exciting new window for exploring the potential effects of cannabis in aiding treatments for conditions involving deficits in social interactions such as sociopathy, social anxiety, and avoidant personality disorder, among others."
