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 .
Subjective Cannabis Effects as Part of a Developing Disorder in Adolescents and Emerging Adults
In light of exp and ing legalization of cannabis and swelling debate about the potential risks , particularly for younger users , underst and ing acute cannabis effects among adolescents and emerging adults is more important than ever . Contemporary models of addiction development identify subjective drug responses as central to the developmental unfolding of drug use disorders . Despite this , surprisingly little is known about cannabis ’s acute subjective effects in human youths . This research utilized ecological momentary assessment ( EMA ) in the natural environment to identify the typical situational context of cannabis use among 85 frequent cannabis users , ages 15–24 years ( M = 19.8 , SD = 2.0 ; 48.2 % female ) . Study aims were to ( a ) characterize momentary changes in several subjective states ( i.e. , stimulation , sedation , tension , craving , and high ) when not using , just before cannabis use , and after use , and ( b ) evaluate whether cannabis responses varied with cannabis use disorder ( CUD ) severity or across the transition from adolescence to emerging adulthood in a correlational manner . Use of cannabis produced measurable reductions in craving and tension , as well as increases in stimulation , sedation , and “ high . ” Participants with more CUD symptoms reported greater relief of craving and increased stimulatory response and high following use . In contrast , emerging adults reported diminished stimulatory response and high following use , relative to adolescents . Results highlight the utility of EMA for characterizing cannabis response as this behavior unfolds in daily life , during a key developmental timeframe in the pathogenesis of cannabis-use pathology
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 .