A Specific Gene May Explain How Cannabis Lowers Eye Pressure
Cannabis appears to reduce eye pressure through the GAS7 gene in humans, while the CB1 and GPR18 receptors that mediate this effect in mice do not seem to be involved in people.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Carriers of the GAS7 gene variant (rs9913911 minor allele G) showed lower intraocular pressure with increased cannabis use (P<0.001). The CDKN2B-AS1 glaucoma gene showed no such interaction. CB1 and GPR18, which mediate cannabis IOP reduction in mice, showed no significant relationship in humans.
Key Numbers
37,046 subjects; GAS7 interaction P<0.001; CDKN2B-AS1 interaction P=0.138 (not significant); CB1 and GPR18 interactions not significant
How They Did This
Analysis of 37,046 UK Biobank subjects examining the interaction between cannabis use, genotype variants in glaucoma-associated genes (GAS7 and CDKN2B-AS1), and intraocular pressure using univariate ANOVA.
Why This Research Matters
Understanding exactly how cannabis lowers eye pressure at the genetic level could lead to targeted treatments that capture the benefit without requiring cannabis use itself.
The Bigger Picture
Cannabis has been known to lower eye pressure since the 1970s, but the mechanism has remained unclear. This study narrows the target to a specific gene, though the authors note that disadvantages of cannabis-based treatments now outweigh the advantages.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Observational design. Genetic associations do not prove mechanism. UK Biobank population may not generalize globally. Cannabis use was self-reported.
Questions This Raises
- ?Could GAS7-targeted therapies replicate cannabis's IOP-lowering effect?
- ?Why do the receptors involved differ between mice and humans?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 37,046 subjects analyzed
- Evidence Grade:
- Large cohort with genetic analysis, but observational design and the complexity of gene-environment interactions warrant caution.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2022
- Original Title:
- Cannabis, Intraocular Pressure, and the Growth Arrest-Specific 7 (GAS7) Gene: A Retrospective Analysis.
- Published In:
- Cureus, 14(4), e23919 (2022)
- Authors:
- Lehrer, Steven(2), Rheinstein, Peter H(2)
- Database ID:
- RTHC-03999
Evidence Hierarchy
Looks back at existing records to find patterns.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
How does cannabis lower eye pressure?
This study suggests cannabis acts through the GAS7 gene (chromosome 17) to reduce intraocular pressure in humans, which is different from the CB1 receptor mechanism found in mice.
Should cannabis be used to treat glaucoma?
The study authors concluded that while cannabis does lower eye pressure through GAS7, its "disadvantages outweigh advantages" compared to modern glaucoma treatments available today.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-03999APA
Lehrer, Steven; Rheinstein, Peter H. (2022). Cannabis, Intraocular Pressure, and the Growth Arrest-Specific 7 (GAS7) Gene: A Retrospective Analysis.. Cureus, 14(4), e23919. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.23919
MLA
Lehrer, Steven, et al. "Cannabis, Intraocular Pressure, and the Growth Arrest-Specific 7 (GAS7) Gene: A Retrospective Analysis.." Cureus, 2022. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.23919
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Cannabis, Intraocular Pressure, and the Growth Arrest-Specif..." RTHC-03999. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/lehrer-2022-cannabis-intraocular-pressure-and
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.