Muhamad Yeehia
Heavy cannabis use is linked to significant lower brain activity in certain regions, a new study found.
High Rate of Memory Problems Found in Users
Working memory is used when you remember a phone number while dialing it, mentally calculating a bill while shopping, keeping track of multiple steps in a recipe while cooking, holding a new person’s name in mind during a conversation, and so on.
In the study, heavy users are considered young adults who’ve used cannabis more than 1,000 times over their lifetime. Using cannabis 10 to 999 times was considered a moderate user, and less than 10 times was considered a nonuser.
As much as 63 percent of heavy lifetime cannabis users and 68 percent of recent users exhibited reduced brain activity during a working memory task. Changes in brain activity in recent users were insignificant.
The Potential for Long-Term Effects on the Brain
The reduced brain activation suggests potential long-term effects of cannabis use on memory processing, according to the study’s first author Joshua Gowin, assistant professor of radiology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.
These brain regions play an important role in how we combine our feelings with our thoughts, especially when making decisions, interacting socially, and managing our emotions.
“There are a lot of questions we still need answers to regarding how cannabis impacts the brain,” Gowin added. “Large, long-term studies are needed next to understand whether cannabis use directly changes brain function, how long these effects last and the impact on different age groups.”
The study also suggests that abstaining from cannabis before performing a cognitive task can improve performance. However, Gowin noted that abstinence may have its own set of consequences.
“People need to be aware of their relationship with cannabis since abstaining cold turkey could disrupt their cognition as well. For example, heavy users may need to be more cautious,” Gowin stated.
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