RESULTS Although causality is unclear , heavy and dependent cannabis use is consistently associated with a high prevalence of comorbid psychiatric disorders and learning and memory impairments that seem to recover after a period of abstinence .
Evidence regarding other cognitive domains and neurological consequences including cerebrovascular events is limited and inconsistent .
Abstinence after treatment is only achieved in a minority of cases ; treatment targeted at reduction in use appears have some success .
Potential moderators of the impact of CUD on the brain include age of onset , heaviness of use , CUD severity , the ratio of ∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol to cannabidiol , and severity of comorbid disorders .
Current evidence of long-term effects of daily cannabis use and cannabis use disorder on brain-related outcomes is suggestive rather than conclusive but use is associated with psychiatric morbidity and with cognitive impairments that recover after a period of abstinence
AIMS To summarize and evaluate our knowledge of the relationship between heavy cannabis use , Cannabis Use Disorder ( CUD ) , and the brain .
A multi-site proof-of-concept investigation of computerized approach-avoidance training in adolescent cannabis users.
BACKGROUND Few effective treatment options exist for cannabis-using youth . This pilot study aim ed to test Approach-Avoidance Training to reduce cannabis use with non-treatment-seeking adolescents . METHODS Eighty cannabis-using non-treatment-seeking adolescents ( average age 19 ) were recruited from San Diego , California and Charleston , South Carolina , and r and omized to complete either six sessions of Cannabis Approach-Avoidance Task Training ( CAAT-training ) design ed to reduce automatic approach biases for cannabis cues or CAAT-sham training . Change in two primary outcome variables was examined : 1 ) cannabis approach bias and 2 ) percent cannabis use days over study enrollment . Change in percent alcohol use days over study enrollment was explored as a secondary outcome . RESULTS A mixed models repeated measures analysis confirmed the group by time interaction effect for approach bias failed to reach statistical significance ( p = .06 ) . Significant group by time interaction effects ( ps < 0.05 ) predicted percent days of cannabis and alcohol use over study enrollment . Participants r and omized to the avoid cannabis condition ( CAAT-training ) reported 7 % fewer days of cannabis use compared to 0 % change for sham ; unexpectedly , those in the avoid cannabis condition reported 10 % percent more alcohol use days compared to 3 % more for sham . CONCLUSIONS Computerized cognitive bias modification paradigms may have utility in reducing  adolescent cannabis use . Future work should consider developing a paradigm that addresses both cannabis and alcohol , as well as alternative computerized approaches for coping with addictive behavior in conjunction with bias modification
RESULTS Although causality is unclear , heavy and dependent cannabis use is consistently associated with a high prevalence of comorbid psychiatric disorders and learning and memory impairments that seem to recover after a period of abstinence .
Evidence regarding other cognitive domains and neurological consequences including cerebrovascular events is limited and inconsistent .
Abstinence after treatment is only achieved in a minority of cases ; treatment targeted at reduction in use appears have some success .
Potential moderators of the impact of CUD on the brain include age of onset , heaviness of use , CUD severity , the ratio of ∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol to cannabidiol , and severity of comorbid disorders .
Current evidence of long-term effects of daily cannabis use and cannabis use disorder on brain-related outcomes is suggestive rather than conclusive but use is associated with psychiatric morbidity and with cognitive impairments that recover after a period of abstinence
AIMS To summarize and evaluate our knowledge of the relationship between heavy cannabis use , Cannabis Use Disorder ( CUD ) , and the brain .