| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|||||||||
From the Department of Neurology (Dr. Bolla and D. Eldreth), Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Hopkins Bayview Research Campus; and Molecular Neuropsychiatry Section (K. Brown, K. Tate, and Dr. Cadet), NIH/NIDA-IRP, Baltimore, MD.
Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. Karen I. Bolla, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Department of Neurology, 4940 Eastern Ave., Baltimore, MD 21224; e-mail: kbolla{at}jhmi.edu
Background: Although about 7 million people in the US population use marijuana at least weekly, there is a paucity of scientific data on persistent neurocognitive effects of marijuana use.
Objective: To determine if neurocognitive deficits persist in 28-day abstinent heavy marijuana users and if these deficits are dose-related to the number of marijuana joints smoked per week.
Methods: A battery of neurocognitive tests was given to 28-day abstinent heavy marijuana abusers.
Results: As joints smoked per week increased, performance decreased on tests measuring memory, executive functioning, psychomotor speed, and manual dexterity. When dividing the group into light, middle, and heavy user groups, the heavy group performed significantly below the light group on 5 of 35 measures and the size of the effect ranged from 3.00 to 4.20 SD units. Duration of use had little effect on neurocognitive performance.
Conclusions: Very heavy use of marijuana is associated with persistent decrements in neurocognitive performance even after 28 days of abstinence. It is unclear if these decrements will resolve with continued abstinence or become progressively worse with continued heavy marijuana use.
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  A Weinstein, O Brickner, H Lerman, M Greemland, M Bloch, H Lester, R Chisin, Y Sarne, R Mechoulam, R Bar-Hamburger, et al. A study investigating the acute dose-- response effects of 13 mg and 17 mg {Delta} 9- tetrahydrocannabinol on cognitive--motor skills, subjective and autonomic measures in regular users of marijuana J Psychopharmacol, June 1, 2008; 22(4): 441 - 451. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M. Yucel, N. Solowij, C. Respondek, S. Whittle, A. Fornito, C. Pantelis, and D. I. Lubman Regional Brain Abnormalities Associated With Long-term Heavy Cannabis Use Arch Gen Psychiatry, June 1, 2008; 65(6): 694 - 701. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 P. Papathanasopoulos, L. Messinis, E. Lyros, A. Kastellakis, and G. Panagis Multiple Sclerosis, Cannabinoids, and Cognition J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci, February 1, 2008; 20(1): 36 - 51. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 A. F. Hoffman, M. Oz, R. Yang, A. H. Lichtman, and C. R. Lupica Opposing actions of chronic {Delta}9-tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabinoid antagonists on hippocampal long-term potentiation Learn. Mem., January 1, 2007; 14(1-2): 63 - 74. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M. Accordino, C. L. Hart, L. Messinis, and P. Panagiotis Neuropsychological deficits in long-term frequent cannabis users Neurology, November 28, 2006; 67(10): 1902 - 1902. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. Quickfall and D. Crockford Brain Neuroimaging in Cannabis Use: A Review J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci, August 1, 2006; 18(3): 318 - 332. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
K. K. Kedzior and M. T. Martin-Iverson Chronic cannabis use is associated with attention-modulated reduction in prepulse inhibition of the startle reflex in healthy humans J Psychopharmacol, July 1, 2006; 20(4): 471 - 484. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
L. Messinis, A. Kyprianidou, S. Malefaki, and P. Papathanasopoulos Neuropsychological deficits in long-term frequent cannabis users Neurology, March 14, 2006; 66(5): 737 - 739. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
R. Thomasius, P. Zapletalova, K. Petersen, R. Buchert, B. Andresen, L. Wartberg, B. Nebeling, and A. Schmoldt Mood, cognition and serotonin transporter availability in current and former ecstasy (MDMA) users: the longitudinal perspective J Psychopharmacol, March 1, 2006; 20(2): 211 - 225. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
E. J. K. Wadsworth, S. C. Moss, S. A. Simpson, and A. P. Smith Cannabis use, cognitive performance and mood in a sample of workers J Psychopharmacol, January 1, 2006; 20(1): 14 - 23. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
R. I. Herning, W. E. Better, K. Tate, and J. L. Cadet Cerebrovascular perfusion in marijuana users during a month of monitored abstinence Neurology, February 8, 2005; 64(3): 488 - 493. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. C. Parrott, E. Gouzoulis-Meyfrank, J. Rodgers, and N. Solowij Ecstasy/MDMA and cannabis: the complexities of their interactive neuropsychobiological effects J Psychopharmacol, December 1, 2004; 18(4): 572 - 576. [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 P McArdle Substance abuse by children and young people Arch. Dis. Child., August 1, 2004; 89(8): 701 - 704. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. I. Sirven and A. T. Berg Marijuana as a treatment for epilepsy and multiple sclerosis?: A "grass roots" movement Neurology, June 8, 2004; 62(11): 1924 - 1925. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 J. Cami and M. Farre Drug Addiction N. Engl. J. Med., September 4, 2003; 349(10): 975 - 986. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
