D.F. Swaab

“Cannabis affects the brain because brain cells themselves produce cannabis-like neurotransmitters. The first such compound to be identified was christened anandamide, ananda being Sanskrit for “bliss.” The proteins that transmit anandamide’s message to the brain, the receptors, are mainly located in the striatum (hence the blissful feeling) and in the cerebellum (hence the unsteady gait after taking marijuana), in the cerebral cortex (hence the problems with association, the fragmented thoughts and confusion), and in the hippocampus (hence the memory impairment). But there are no receptors in the brain stem areas that regulate blood pressure and breathing. That’s why it’s impossible to take an overdose of cannabis, as opposed to opiates.”
― D.F. Swaab, We Are Our Brains: A Neurobiography of the Brain, from the Womb to Alzheimer's

“Als je niet meer kunt denken omdat je hersenen niet meer functioneren, dan besta je als persoon ook niet meer.”
― Dick Swaab, Wij zijn ons brein: van baarmoeder tot Alzheimer