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Casual Marijuana Use, Brain Abnormalities Linked In New Study Of Young Adults
Posted on 4/16/14 at 10:51 am
Posted on 4/16/14 at 10:51 am
NEW YORK (AP) — A small study of casual marijuana smokers has turned up evidence of changes in the brain, a possible sign of trouble ahead, researchers say.
The young adults who volunteered for the study were not dependent on pot, nor did they show any marijuana-related problems.
"What we think we are seeing here is a very early indication of what becomes a problem later on with prolonged use," things like lack of focus and impaired judgment, said Dr. Hans Breiter, a study author.
Longer-term studies will be needed to see if such brain changes cause any symptoms over time, said Breiter, of the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and Massachusetts General Hospital.
Previous studies have shown mixed results in looking for brain changes from marijuana use, perhaps because of differences in the techniques used, he and others noted in Wednesday's issue of the Journal of Neurosciences.
The study is among the first to focus on possible brain effects in recreational pot smokers, said Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse. The federal agency helped pay for the work. She called the work important but preliminary.
The 20 pot users in the study, ages 18 to 25, said they smoked marijuana an average of about four days a week, for an average total of about 11 joints. Half of them smoked fewer than six joints a week. Researchers scanned their brains and compared the results to those of 20 non-users who were matched for age, sex and other traits.
The results showed differences in two brain areas associated with emotion and motivation — the amygdala and the nucleus accumbens. Users showed higher density than non-users, as well as differences in shape of those areas. Both differences were more pronounced in those who reported smoking more marijuana.
Volkow said larger studies are needed to explore whether casual to moderate marijuana use really does cause anatomical brain changes, and if so, whether that leads to any impairment.
The current work doesn't determine whether casual to moderate marijuana use is harmful to the brain, she said.
Murat Yucel of Monash University in Australia, who has studied the brains of marijuana users but didn't participate in the new study, said in an email that the new results suggest "the effects of marijuana can occur much earlier than previously thought." Some of the effect may depend on a person's age when marijuana use starts, he said.
Another brain researcher, Krista Lisdahl of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, said her own work has found similar results. "I think the clear message is we see brain alterations before you develop dependence," she said.
The young adults who volunteered for the study were not dependent on pot, nor did they show any marijuana-related problems.
"What we think we are seeing here is a very early indication of what becomes a problem later on with prolonged use," things like lack of focus and impaired judgment, said Dr. Hans Breiter, a study author.
Longer-term studies will be needed to see if such brain changes cause any symptoms over time, said Breiter, of the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and Massachusetts General Hospital.
Previous studies have shown mixed results in looking for brain changes from marijuana use, perhaps because of differences in the techniques used, he and others noted in Wednesday's issue of the Journal of Neurosciences.
The study is among the first to focus on possible brain effects in recreational pot smokers, said Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse. The federal agency helped pay for the work. She called the work important but preliminary.
The 20 pot users in the study, ages 18 to 25, said they smoked marijuana an average of about four days a week, for an average total of about 11 joints. Half of them smoked fewer than six joints a week. Researchers scanned their brains and compared the results to those of 20 non-users who were matched for age, sex and other traits.
The results showed differences in two brain areas associated with emotion and motivation — the amygdala and the nucleus accumbens. Users showed higher density than non-users, as well as differences in shape of those areas. Both differences were more pronounced in those who reported smoking more marijuana.
Volkow said larger studies are needed to explore whether casual to moderate marijuana use really does cause anatomical brain changes, and if so, whether that leads to any impairment.
The current work doesn't determine whether casual to moderate marijuana use is harmful to the brain, she said.
Murat Yucel of Monash University in Australia, who has studied the brains of marijuana users but didn't participate in the new study, said in an email that the new results suggest "the effects of marijuana can occur much earlier than previously thought." Some of the effect may depend on a person's age when marijuana use starts, he said.
Another brain researcher, Krista Lisdahl of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, said her own work has found similar results. "I think the clear message is we see brain alterations before you develop dependence," she said.
Posted on 4/16/14 at 10:53 am to LSU1NSEC
Meh. There are plenty of studies that say otherwise. You can find a study to support any agenda.
Posted on 4/16/14 at 10:54 am to CatFan81
It's worth digging into a little deeper.
Posted on 4/16/14 at 10:56 am to LSU1NSEC
That scares the shite out of me.
(smokes joint)
Aaah frick it
(smokes joint)
Aaah frick it
Posted on 4/16/14 at 11:02 am to CatFan81
quote:If only the average person realized this and didn't have so many knee-jerk reactions.
You can find a study to support any agenda.
Posted on 4/16/14 at 11:07 am to LSU1NSEC
Smoking 4 days a week and seeing motivation issues.
Needed a study to show this?
Needed a study to show this?
Posted on 4/16/14 at 11:09 am to We_Need_Cam
I think the study was to look for any actual changes in the brain, whether or not those changes have a negative effect is debatable.
Posted on 4/16/14 at 11:16 am to LSU1NSEC
There have been studies that show some possible brain development issues with with young (less than 21) chronic users of weed. Probably not good to get dependent on weed young.
These changes are small compared to young chronic users of alcohol.
These changes are small compared to young chronic users of alcohol.
This post was edited on 4/16/14 at 11:29 am
Posted on 4/16/14 at 11:22 am to LSU1NSEC
Casual pseudofed (sp?) use probably is worse. Alcohol is certainly worse. I bet a lot of over the counter meds are worse actually.
Posted on 4/16/14 at 11:32 am to Carolina Tide
FWIW, I switched doctors recently to one at UAB and he wants me on a cannabis treatment for my seizures
Posted on 4/16/14 at 11:47 am to TheCaterpillar
quote:
Casual pseudofed (sp?) use probably is worse. Alcohol is certainly worse. I bet a lot of over the counter meds are worse actually.
Exactly. As if any drug is completely harmless.
Posted on 4/16/14 at 11:52 am to LSU1NSEC
It's hard to find any legitimacy without doing a long term study of someone with a "normal" brain in those areas before smoking weed, and then after they've smoked weed regularly for a specific amount of time.
My question would be..does the weed alter the brain, or is it that people born with their brain already that way more likely to smoke weed?
My question would be..does the weed alter the brain, or is it that people born with their brain already that way more likely to smoke weed?
Posted on 4/16/14 at 11:59 am to LSU1NSEC
I'm too baked to be readin that shituckymushrooms
Posted on 4/16/14 at 12:03 pm to Greenfloridan
I have heard smoking weed is worse on the lungs than smoking cigarettes
Posted on 4/16/14 at 12:45 pm to TheCaterpillar
quote:
Casual pseudofed (sp?) use probably is worse. Alcohol is certainly worse. I bet a lot of over the counter meds are worse actually.
If the definition of alcohol use is twice a week like the study of twice a week for weed, then no. Alcohol isn't as bad.
Posted on 4/16/14 at 12:53 pm to LSU1NSEC
I didn't need a study to confirm that.
Posted on 4/16/14 at 12:55 pm to deltaland
quote:
My question would be..does the weed alter the brain, or is it that people born with their brain already that way more likely to smoke weed?
There can certainly be a large number of variables outside of the marijuana that could cause changes in the brain. Such a small study probably isn't good for fleshing those out.
The ex had family who worked at UK studying marijuana effects. Most of their studies showed that the positives medically tended to outweigh the negatives.
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