Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with: 1  More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary. 2  Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes. 3  Advanced search features. 4  Ad free!
This small nucleus contains almost half of all the brain neurons that use norepinephrine as a neurotransmitter. The locus coeruleus also projects its axons to those parts of the brain that may be associated with panic disorders (the amygdala, hippocampus, septum, cortex, brainstem, reticular formation, etc). Stimulating an animal's locus coeruleus, like stimulating its amygdala, produces anxiety behaviours.
The use of marijuana for anxiety disorders, and just plain stress, comes from the fact that the brain naturally produces cannabinoids, which are the active chemicals in marijuana â namely, delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC â and what help regulate how fear is processed in the brain.