Long-Term Recreational Cannabis Use Is Associated With Lower Executive Function and Processing Speed in a Pilot Sample of Older Adults
K. Stypulkowski, R. Thayer
Journal of geriatric psychiatry and neurology September 28, 2021 DOI: 10.1177/08919887211049130 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Pilot study, cross-sectional comparison Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 38 |
| Population | Adults age 60 and older who were regular, primarily recreational cannabis users (n=28) and nonusers (n=10) |
| Topics | Cannabis |
| Key findings | Nonusers and short-term cannabis users (7 years or less of regular use) scored higher than long-term users (19 years or more) on executive function, with short-term users also scoring higher on processing speed and general cognition. Greater recent cannabis use frequency was associated with poorer working memory. The authors suggest short-term recreational use may be relatively benign in older adults, while longer duration and more recent use are associated with poorer cognitive performance. |
Abstract
More older adults are using cannabis for recreational and/or medical purposes, but most studies examining cognitive function and cannabis use do not include older adults. The current small pilot study sought to compare cognitive function and emotional functioning among adults age 60 and older who were regular, primarily recreational cannabis users (n = 28) and nonusers (n = 10). A bimodal distribution was observed among cannabis users such that they had either initiated regular use more recently (“short-term” users; ≤7 years, n = 13) or earlier in life (“long-term” users; ≥19 years, n = 15). Nonusers, short-term, and long-term users were not different in depression, anxiety, or emotion regulation, or alcohol use. Nonusers scored significantly higher than long-term users in executive function. Short-term users scored significantly higher than long-term users in executive function, processing speed, and general cognition. Additionally, greater recent cannabis use frequency was negatively associated with working memory. The current findings suggest that short-term recreational cannabis use does not result in differences in cognitive performance compared to nonusers, which may indicate that short-term use is relatively benign in older adults. However, longer duration of use is associated with poorer processing speed and executive functioning, and more recent cannabis use is associated with poorer working memory, which may impact older adults’ overall cognitive functioning.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on cannabis, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 3
- Effects of Cannabis Use on Neurocognition: A Scoping Review of MRI Studies Journal of Psychoactive Drugs June 29, 2024
- Cannabis Use Characteristics Associated with Self-Reported Cognitive Function in a Nationally Representative U.S. sample Substance Use & Misuse April 25, 2024
- Relationship Between Cannabis Use and Immediate, Delayed, and Working Memory Performance Among Older Adults Cannabis 2023
Cites 6
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- Does Cannabis Composition Matter? Differential Effects of Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol and Cannabidiol on Human Cognition Current Addiction Reports April 29, 2017
- Acute and Chronic Effects of Cannabinoids on Human Cognition-A Systematic Review. Biological Psychiatry April 1, 2016
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and 1 more in the library