Sex differences in inter-temporal decision making and cortical thickness of the orbitofrontal and insula in young adult cannabis users: Evidence from 1111 subjects.
Alan N. Francis, Joan A Camprodon, Francesca Filbey
Psychiatry research. Neuroimaging January 2025 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2024.111919 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study (secondary neuroimaging analysis of previously collected data) Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1,111 |
| Population | Young adult nondependent cannabis users (608) and non-users (503) |
| Measures | delay discounting task, MRI cortical thickness |
| Topics | Cannabis |
| Keywords | Cortical thickness Decision making Inter temporal choice MRI Imaging Sex differences |
| Key findings | Cannabis use was associated with sex-specific differences in cortical thickness and decision-making: male users had thinner bilateral insula and lower delay discounting scores, while female users had thinner orbitofrontal cortex but normal delay discounting scores. The authors argue that the lack of correlation between cortical thickness and delay discounting in users implies these alterations may be independent and possibly premorbid to cannabis use. |
Abstract
To test for sex differences in the impact of cannabis use on decision-making and brain correlates, we employed cortical thickness (CT) analysis of brain regions involved in intertemporal decision-making namely bilateral orbitofrontal cortex(OFC) and insula in young adult nondependent cannabis-users(CU) and non-users(NU) and their scores on delay discounting task. Neuroimaging analyzes of previously collected data were performed on 608CU and 503NU. CT analysis was performed on MRI images. OFC and insula thickness, scores on the delay discounting test were compared between groups and correlated. Controlling alcohol-use and intra-cranial-volume, CU exhibited sex differences in CT. The bilateral insula was significantly thinner in male CU. OFC was thinner in females relative to controls. Female CU had thinner Right-medial OFC, Left-lateral-OFC. While male CU scored significantly lower on items within delay discounting task, female CU delay-discounting scores were within normal range. Our results demonstrate that cannabis-use differentially affects decision-making across sexes. Cortical morphology mirrors this dimorphism. CU subjects did not show a correlation between CT of OFC or insula and delay discounting, implying that thinner cortices and lower DD scores in males may be independent alterations which may be premorbid to cannabis use and may lead to cognitive deficits in later years.
Comparable studies
Other experimental studies on cannabis, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoked Cannabis' Psychomotor and Neurocognitive Effects in Occasional and Frequent Smokers Occasional (<2x/week) and frequent (≥4x/week) cannabis smokers | 2015 | Controlled within-subjects study | n = 25 |
| Dissociable effects of cannabis with and without cannabidiol on the human brain’s resting-state functional connectivity Healthy volunteers experienced with cannabis but not regular users | 2019 | Within-subjects experimental design | n = 17 |
| Coming off cannabis: a cognitive and magnetic resonance imaging study in patients with multiple sclerosis Patients with multiple sclerosis who began using cannabis after disease onset, used it... | 2019 | Quasi-experimental study with odd-even allocation | n = 40 |
| Cannabis-induced altered states of consciousness are associated with specific dynamic brain connectivity states Healthy occasional cannabis users (smoking cannabis ≤2 per week) | 2019 | Repeated-measures, within-subjects design | n = 19 |
| Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Disruption of Time Perception and of Self-Timed Actions Healthy volunteers | 2010 | Experimental study |