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01-06-2016 | Review

Weighing the Evidence: A Systematic Review on Long-Term Neurocognitive Effects of Cannabis Use in Abstinent Adolescents and Adults

Authors: Florian Ganzer, Sonja Bröning, Stefanie Kraft, Peter-Michael Sack, Rainer Thomasius

Published in: Neuropsychology Review | Issue 2/2016

Abstract

Findings on neurocognitive effects of sustained cannabis use are heterogeneous. Previous work has rarely taken time of abstinence into account. In this review, we focus on understanding sustained effects of cannabis, which begin when clinical symptoms of the drug have worn off after at least 14 days. We conducted a search between 2004 and 2015 and found 38 studies with such a prolonged abstinence phase. Study-design quality in terms of evidence-based medicine is similar among studies. Studies found some attention or concentration deficits in cannabis users (CU). There is evidence that chronic CU might experience sustained deficits in memory function. Findings are mixed regarding impairments in inhibition, impulsivity and decision making for CU, but there is a trend towards worse performance. Three out of four studies found evidence that motor function remains impaired even after a time of abstinence, while no impairments in visual spatial functioning can be concluded. Functional imaging demonstrates clear differences in activation patterns between CU and controls especially in hippocampal, prefrontal and cerebellar areas. Structural differences are found in cortical areas, especially the orbitofrontal region and the hippocampus. Twenty studies (57 %) reported data on outcome effects, leading to an overall effect size of r _mean = .378 (CI 95 % = [.342; .453]). Heavy use is found to be more consistently associated with effects in diverse domains than early age of onset. Questions of causality―in view of scarce longitudinal studies, especially those targeting co-occurring psychiatric disorders―are discussed.

2++ = “high quality systematic reviews of case control or cohort studies, high quality case control or cohort studies with a very low risk of confounding or bias and a high probability that the relationship is causal”

2+ = “well conducted case control or cohort studies with a low risk of confounding or bias and a moderate probability that the relationship is causal” (Baker et al. 2010, p. 359)

By convention, effects of r = .10 to .29 count as small, effects of r = .30 to 0.49 as medium and effects of r = 0.50 or more as large (Cohen 1988).

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Title: Weighing the Evidence: A Systematic Review on Long-Term Neurocognitive Effects of Cannabis Use in Abstinent Adolescents and Adults
Authors: Florian Ganzer
Sonja Bröning
Stefanie Kraft
Peter-Michael Sack
Rainer Thomasius
Publication date: 01-06-2016
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Neuropsychology Review / Issue 2/2016
Print ISSN: 1040-7308
Electronic ISSN: 1573-6660
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11065-016-9316-2

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Weighing the Evidence: A Systematic Review on Long-Term Neurocognitive Effects of Cannabis Use in Abstinent Adolescents and Adults

Abstract

ACC 2024 Congress

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Abstract

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