Cortical thinness and volume differences associated with marijuana abuse in emerging adults.
Yasmin Mashhoon, S Sava, Jennifer T Sneider, L D Nickerson, Marisa M Silveri
Drug and Alcohol Dependence October 1, 2015 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2015.06.016 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case-control study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 30 |
| Population | Emerging adults: 15 marijuana users (mean age 21.8±3.6, 2 females) and 15 non-users (mean age 22.3±3.5, 2 females), matched on age, education, and alcohol use |
| Measures | Freesurfer (cortical thickness and volumetric analyses), Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (non-planning and overall impulsivity subscales) |
| Topics | Cannabis |
| Keywords | Cortical thickness Fusiform gyrus Thalamus Volume Young adults |
| Key findings | Marijuana users showed significantly less cortical thickness in the right fusiform gyrus and smaller thalamic volumes (right p=0.05; left p=0.01) than non-users, with smaller thalamic volume associated with greater non-planning and overall impulsivity. No significant group differences appeared in the a priori regions of interest. The authors suggest altered thalamic and right fusiform structural integrity may interfere with visuoperceptual and object information processing. |
Abstract
The prevalence of marijuana (MJ) use among youth and its legalization for medical or recreational use has intensified public health endeavors of understanding MJ effects on brain structure and function. Studies indicate that MJ use is related to impaired cognitive performance, and altered functional brain activation and chemistry in adolescents and adults, but MJ effects on brain morphology in emerging adults are less understood. Fifteen MJ users (age 21.8±3.6, 2 females) and 15 non-user (NU) participants (age 22.3±3.5, 2 females) were included, demographically matched on age, education and alcohol use. High-resolution structural MR images were acquired at 3Tesla. Cortical thickness (CT) and volumetric analyses were performed using Freesurfer. A priori regions of interest (ROI) included orbitofrontal and cingulate cortices, amygdala, hippocampus and thalamus. Whole brain CT analysis did not result in significant group differences in a priori ROIs but revealed MJ users had significantly less CT (i.e., thinness) in right fusiform gyrus (rFG) compared to NU (p<0.05). Thalamic volume was significantly smaller in MJ users compared to NU (right, p=0.05; left, p=0.01) and associated with greater non-planning (p<0.01) and overall impulsivity (p=0.04). There were no other group differences. RFG cortical thinness and smaller thalamic volume in emerging adults is associated with MJ abuse. Furthermore, smaller thalamic volume associated with greater impulsivity contributes to growing evidence that the thalamus is neurobiologically perturbed by MJ use. Collectively, altered thalamic and rFG structural integrity may interfere with their known roles in regulating visuoperceptual and object information processing.
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 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 4
- Disruption of Reelin signaling in a dual-hit mouse model of schizophrenia: impact of postnatal Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol exposure in a maternal immune activation model Translational Psychiatry July 16, 2026
- Surface-based brain morphometry in schizophrenia vs. cannabis-induced psychosis: A controlled comparison. Journal of Psychiatric Research September 1, 2022
- Systematic review of structural and functional neuroimaging studies of cannabis use in adolescence and emerging adulthood: evidence from 90 studies and 9441 participants. Neuropsychopharmacology April 2022
- Cognition and Cortical Thickness in Heavy Cannabis Users European Addiction Research October 20, 2020
Cites 17
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- Cannabis use is quantitatively associated with nucleus accumbens and amygdala abnormalities in young adult recreational users. Journal of Neuroscience April 16, 2014
- A Review of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Studies in Marijuana using Adolescents and Adults. Journal of Addiction Research & Therapy April 24, 2013
and 12 more in the library