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Altered Neural Processing to Social Exclusion in Young Adult Marijuana Users.

Jodi M Gilman, Max T Curran, Vanessa Calderon, Randi M Schuster, A Eden Evins

Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging March 1, 2016 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2015.11.002 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Case-control neuroimaging study Peer reviewed
Sample size 42
Population Marijuana-using young adults and non-using young adult controls
Measures self-report measure of peer conformity
Topics Cannabis
Keywords Acc Social influence Anterior cingulate cortex Exclusion Insula Peer groups
Key findings Controls, but not marijuana users, showed significant insula activation during social exclusion, while both groups activated the vACC. Only marijuana users showed a correlation between vACC activation and self-reported peer conformity. The authors indicate this suggests atypical neural processing of social exclusion in marijuana users, possibly caused by or resulting from regular use.

Abstract

Previous studies have reported that peer groups are one of the most important predictors of adolescent and young adult marijuana use, and yet the neural correlates of social processing in marijuana users have not yet been studied. In the current study, marijuana-using young adults (n = 20) and non-using controls (n = 22) participated in a neuroimaging social exclusion task called Cyberball, a computerized ball-tossing game in which the participant is excluded from the game after a pre-determined number of ball tosses. Controls, but not marijuana users, demonstrated significant activation in the insula, a region associated with negative emotion, when being excluded from the game. Both groups demonstrated activation of the ventral anterior cingulate cortex (vACC), a region associated with affective monitoring, during peer exclusion. Only the marijuana group showed a correlation between vACC activation and scores on a self-report measure of peer conformity. This study indicates that marijuana users show atypical neural processing of social exclusion, which may be either caused by, or the result of, regular marijuana use.

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