People are thinking about how marijuana affects the brain, especially in young individuals, thanks to a new study in JAMA Network Open. Scientists are working quickly to learn more about how cannabis affects the brain over time since more people are using it now that regulations are changing, it is becoming more socially acceptable, and people think it is mostly safe. Dr. Joshua Gowin, a neurologist, was in charge of this new investigation. It shows that marijuana may not be as harmless as many people think, especially when it comes to how it affects the brain.
The study looked at more than 1,000 young individuals with cannabis use disorder who were between the ages of 22 and 36. Researchers employed contemporary brain imaging technology to investigate how the brains of people who use cannabis worked when they were doing certain tasks, notably tasks that needed working memory. Working memory is an important cognitive skill that lets us store and update information for brief periods of time. You need working memory to plan, figure things out, understand language, and do math.
People who had recently or long-term used cannabis had less active brains when they did things that demanded working memory. The fact that brain activity slowed down suggests that cannabis might make it hard for the brain to understand information as it happens. Dr. Gowin says that this discovery is very important: “As more and more people around the world use cannabis, it is becoming more and more important to study how it affects people’s health.” The information will help people make sensible choices about using cannabis by letting them know what can happen that is good and bad.
The scientists didn’t simply study working memory; they also studied how cannabis changes the connections between different brain networks. The default mode network lets you daydream and ponder about yourself. The executive function network helps you set goals and develop strategies. The emotional regulation network is in charge of protecting memories. Researchers saw that these crucial parts of the brain couldn’t talk to one other. This could make it tougher to concentrate, keep your emotions in check, and make choices.
The researchers utilized tight statistical approaches including false discovery rate (FDR) correction to lower the probability of getting false positives and make sure the science was proper. The researchers looked at seven different ways to find out how people think. Some of them looked like they might be hurt, but only the working memory task vaneduued brain activity in a way that was statistically significant.
Many people who use cannabis believe that CBD (cannabidiol), the part of cannabis that doesn’t get you high, can cancel out or lessen the mind-altering effects of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the part of cannabis that does get you high. This study indicates something else. But the results showed that CBD doesn’t always make THC’s bad effects on thinking less bad. It could even make things worse in some circumstances. This surprising discovery brings up more questions and shows how important it is to learn more about how cannabis acts in different ways.
The study shows that using cannabis, especially for young people who have problems with it, can make the brain perform less well. Experts, on the other hand, suggest that additional research is needed. There are still some big questions that need to be answered: Does marijuana impact how the brain works directly, or do things in your life or the environment trigger these changes? How long do these effects stay once you stop using cannabis? Can the problems go away if you stop using?
Dr. Gowin and his team think that long-term, longitudinal research will be especially helpful in finding solutions to these issues. The lesson for now is to keep an eye out. A lot of people are using marijuana for fun or medical reasons, and more locations are making it legal. It’s important to remember that cannabis might hurt your brain, especially if you use it a lot or while you’re young.
The point of this study is not to terrify people. It wants people to be fair and understand that marijuana, like any other drug, can have both beneficial and bad effects. People and health officials may be able to make better and safer choices about how to utilize it if they know the facts.