EFFECTS OF ACUTE AND CHRONIC CANNABIS/CANNABINOIDS ON COGNITIVE FUNCTION ACROSS THE LIFESPAN
Barry Setlow, Sabrina Zequeira, Emely A. Gazarov, Jennifer L. Bizon
Innovation in Aging December 1, 2023 DOI: 10.1093/geroni/igad104.0034 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Animal experimental study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Young adult and aged rats |
| Interventions | Cannabis smoke THC |
| Topics | Cannabis |
| Key findings | Acute cannabis smoke and chronic oral THC enhanced working memory in aged rats but did not affect young adults, while both regimens tended to impair spatial and episodic memory in an age-independent manner. The authors suggest cannabis may have cognitive benefits in aging, but effects depend on the cognitive domain tested and the route of administration. |
Abstract
Abstract Cannabis and cannabinoids such as THC (the major psychoactive component of cannabis) tend to impair cognitive performance, but almost all research on this topic has been conducted in young adults. Given that many aged individuals already exhibit cognitive deficits, it is important to determine how cannabis/cannabinoids affect cognition in this population. We used an animal model (young adult and aged rats) to evaluate the effects of both acute cannabis smoke and chronic oral THC on several tests of cognitive function. Both acute smoke (males only) and chronic THC (both sexes) enhanced working memory in aged rats, but neither affected young adults. In contrast, both regimens tended to impair performance on tests of spatial/episodic memory in an age-independent manner. Results suggest that although cannabis has potential for cognitive benefits in aging, its effects likely depend on both the cognitive domain tested and the manner in which it is administered.