Mobile app detection of THC-related cognitive impairment in heavy users
Ari P. Kirshenbaum, C. Lewis, A. Kaplan
Abstracts from the 2021 Virtual Scientific Meeting of the Research Society on Marijuana July 23rd, 2021 2022 DOI: 10.26828/cannabis.2022.01.000.10 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study using a mobile app Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 199 |
| Population | Adult users who self-identified as frequent or continuous cannabis users |
| Topics | Cannabis |
| Key findings | Among heavy cannabis users, intoxicated performance was worse than sober performance on both videogames assessing time perception and reaction speed and accuracy (p < 0.05). The authors suggest that neurocognitive performance deficits are apparent even in users well-accustomed to THC. |
Abstract
The degree to which frequent users of cannabis experience cognitive impairment from acute self-administration has been questioned on the basis of behavioral tolerance to THC. "Indicator" is a downloadable mobile software app that assesses cognitive, perceptual, and motor skills using a variety of brief videogames. In the course of one month (April 2021), the app was used by 199 adult users who self-identified as either use cannabis "frequently" or "continuously." Sixty-one of these heavy users played at least two of the videogames available in the app while sober, and this was on the first occasion of using the app. Ninety-six used the app while intoxicated by cannabis, and also on their first instance of using the app. Independent-samples t-test was performed to compare sober-versus-intoxicated performance on each of two separate videogames, and these videogames specifically assessed (a) time perception and (b) reaction speed and accuracy. Clear evidence of cannabis-related impairment was evident for both videogames (p < 0.05) for this heavy-using population. This evidence suggests that neurocognitive performance-related deficits are apparent in a population of users who are well-accustomed to the psychopharmacological influence of THC.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on cannabis, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| High-potency cannabis and the risk of psychosis People with first episode of psychosis and healthy controls from the local population | 2009 | Case-control study | n = 454 |
| Ayahuasca-Assisted Therapy for Addiction: Results from a Preliminary Observational Study in Canada Rural aboriginal population | 2013 | Observational study | |
| Impaired cognitive performance in drug free users of recreational ecstasy (MDMA) Otherwise healthy young people | 2000 | Observational | |
| Continued cannabis use and risk of incidence and persistence of psychotic symptoms: 10 year follow-up cohort study Individuals from the general population in Germany aged 14-24 at baseline | 2011 | Observational cohort | n = 1,923 |
| Cannabis-induced psychosis and subsequent schizophrenia-spectrum disorders: follow-up study of 535 incident cases Patients treated for cannabis-induced psychotic symptoms in Denmark between 1994 and... | 2005 | Observational cohort | n = 535 |