Abstract
Background: Cannabis use typically commences during adolescence, a period during which the brain undergoes profound remodeling in areas that are high in cannabinoid receptors and that mediate cognitive control and emotion regulation. It is therefore important to determine the impact of adolescent cannabis use on brain function.
Objective: We investigate the impact of adolescent cannabis use on brain function by reviewing the functional magnetic resonance imaging studies in adolescent samples. Method: We systematically reviewed the literature and identified 13 functional neuroimaging studies in adolescent cannabis users (aged 13 to 18 years) performing working memory, inhibition and reward processing tasks. Results: The majority of the studies found altered brain function, but intact behavioural task performance in adolescent cannabis users versus controls. The most consistently reported differences were in the frontal-parietal network, which mediates cognitive control. Heavier use was associated with abnormal brain function in most samples. A minority of studies controlled for the influence of confounders that can also undermine brain function, such as tobacco and alcohol use, psychopathology symptoms, family history of psychiatric disorders and substance use. Conclusion: Emerging evidence shows abnormal frontal-parietal network activity in adolescent cannabis users, particularly in heavier users. Brain functional alterations may reflect a compensatory neural mechanism that enables normal behavioural performance. It remains unclear if cannabis exposure drives these alterations, as substance use and mental health confounders have not been systematically examined.Keywords: Cannabis, brain, adolescence, functional neuroimaging, parietal cortex, frontal cortex, hyperactivity.
Current Pharmaceutical Design
Title:Adolescent Cannabis Use: What is the Evidence for Functional Brain Alteration?
Volume: 22 Issue: 42
Author(s): Valentina Lorenzetti, Silvia Alonso-Lana, George J. Youssef, Antonio Verdejo-Garcia, Chao Suo, Janna Cousijn, Michael Takagi, Murat Yücel and Nadia Solowij
Affiliation:
Keywords: Cannabis, brain, adolescence, functional neuroimaging, parietal cortex, frontal cortex, hyperactivity.
Abstract: Background: Cannabis use typically commences during adolescence, a period during which the brain undergoes profound remodeling in areas that are high in cannabinoid receptors and that mediate cognitive control and emotion regulation. It is therefore important to determine the impact of adolescent cannabis use on brain function.
Objective: We investigate the impact of adolescent cannabis use on brain function by reviewing the functional magnetic resonance imaging studies in adolescent samples. Method: We systematically reviewed the literature and identified 13 functional neuroimaging studies in adolescent cannabis users (aged 13 to 18 years) performing working memory, inhibition and reward processing tasks. Results: The majority of the studies found altered brain function, but intact behavioural task performance in adolescent cannabis users versus controls. The most consistently reported differences were in the frontal-parietal network, which mediates cognitive control. Heavier use was associated with abnormal brain function in most samples. A minority of studies controlled for the influence of confounders that can also undermine brain function, such as tobacco and alcohol use, psychopathology symptoms, family history of psychiatric disorders and substance use. Conclusion: Emerging evidence shows abnormal frontal-parietal network activity in adolescent cannabis users, particularly in heavier users. Brain functional alterations may reflect a compensatory neural mechanism that enables normal behavioural performance. It remains unclear if cannabis exposure drives these alterations, as substance use and mental health confounders have not been systematically examined.Export Options
About this article
Cite this article as:
Lorenzetti Valentina, Alonso-Lana Silvia, Youssef J. George, Verdejo-Garcia Antonio, Suo Chao, Cousijn Janna, Takagi Michael, Yücel Murat and Solowij Nadia, Adolescent Cannabis Use: What is the Evidence for Functional Brain Alteration?, Current Pharmaceutical Design 2016; 22 (42) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1381612822666160805155922
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1381612822666160805155922 |
Print ISSN 1381-6128 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1873-4286 |
Call for Papers in Thematic Issues
"Tuberculosis Prevention, Diagnosis and Drug Discovery"
The Nobel Prize-winning discoveries of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and streptomycin have enabled an appropriate diagnosis and an effective treatment of tuberculosis (TB). Since then, many newer diagnosis methods and drugs have been saving millions of lives. Despite advances in the past, TB is still a leading cause of infectious disease mortality ...read more
Current Pharmaceutical challenges in the treatment and diagnosis of neurological dysfunctions
Neurological dysfunctions (MND, ALS, MS, PD, AD, HD, ALS, Autism, OCD etc..) present significant challenges in both diagnosis and treatment, often necessitating innovative approaches and therapeutic interventions. This thematic issue aims to explore the current pharmaceutical landscape surrounding neurological disorders, shedding light on the challenges faced by researchers, clinicians, and ...read more
Emerging and re-emerging diseases
Faced with a possible endemic situation of COVID-19, the world has experienced two important phenomena, the emergence of new infectious diseases and/or the resurgence of previously eradicated infectious diseases. Furthermore, the geographic distribution of such diseases has also undergone changes. This context, in turn, may have a strong relationship with ...read more
Melanoma and Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer Treatment: Standard of Care and Recent Advances
In this thematic issue, we aim to provide a standard of care of the diagnosis and treatment of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer. The editor will invite authors from different countries who will write review articles of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers. The Diagnosis, Staging, Surgical Treatment, Non-Surgical Treatment all ...read more
- Author Guidelines
- Graphical Abstracts
- Fabricating and Stating False Information
- Research Misconduct
- Post Publication Discussions and Corrections
- Publishing Ethics and Rectitude
- Increase Visibility of Your Article
- Archiving Policies
- Peer Review Workflow
- Order Your Article Before Print
- Promote Your Article
- Manuscript Transfer Facility
- Editorial Policies
- Allegations from Whistleblowers
- Announcements
Related Articles
-
Therapeutic Modulation of Gut Microbiota: Current Clinical Applications and Future Perspectives
Current Drug Targets Modulation of Response to Audiovisual Stimuli Presented Peripherally by Visually Cued Endogenous Temporal Attention: An Event-Related Potentials Study
Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering (Discontinued) Meet Our Editorial Board Member
Recent Patents on Biotechnology Overview and Findings from the Religious Orders Study
Current Alzheimer Research Meet Our Editorial Board Member
Current Neuropharmacology Novel Lactulose and Melibiose Targeting Autophagy to Reduce PolyQ Aggregation in Cell Models of Spinocerebellar Ataxia 3
CNS & Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets The Oxygen Therapy
Current Medicinal Chemistry Molecular Modeling and Ligand Docking for Solute Carrier (SLC) Transporters
Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry Brain-to-Plasma Distribution Ratio of the Biflavone Amentoflavone in the Mouse
Drug Metabolism Letters A Perspective on Monoamine Oxidase Enzyme as Drug Target: Challenges and Opportunities
Current Drug Targets Synthesis and Antimicrobial Activity of Adamantyl Substituted Pyridoxine Derivatives
Letters in Drug Design & Discovery Meet Our Co-Editor
Mini-Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry Anti-Gene Strategies to Down-Regulate Gene Expression in Mammalian Cells
Current Pharmaceutical Design Diversity and Variability of the Effects of Nicotine on Different Cortical Regions of the Brain. Therapeutic and Toxicological Implications
Central Nervous System Agents in Medicinal Chemistry Microwave Accelerated Labeling Methods in the Synthesis of Radioligands for Positron Emission Tomography Imaging
Current Radiopharmaceuticals N-Valproyl-L-Phenylalanine as New Potential Antiepileptic Drug: Synthesis, Characterization and In Vitro Studies on Stability, Toxicity and Anticonvulsant Efficacy
Medicinal Chemistry Medicinal Chemistry of Hsp90 Inhibitors
Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry Oxidative Stress and Antioxidant Potential of One Hundred Medicinal Plants
Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry Immunotoxicity of Cocaine and Crack
Current Drug Abuse Reviews Decoding the Inter-Relationship between Sleep Disorders and Alzheimer’s Disease Pathogenesis
CNS & Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets