Post: Can cannabis affect memory? Largest study yet investigates

Share on Pinterest Heavy cannabis use could negatively impact certain types of memory, largest study of its kind to date has found. Image credit: Valeria Mongelli/Bloomberg/Getty Images. Cannabis use has increased significantly around the world.

Past research shows that regular cannabis use can increase a person’s risk for several health concerns, including risk factors for dementia.

Scientists from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus have found that heavy cannabis use may negatively impact a person’s working memory.

Recent research shows the use of cannabis has grown significantly around the world, from about 180.6 million people in 2011 to 219 million in 2021.

Much of this growth has been spurred on by recent moves to legalize the use of cannabis in many countries, including the United States, Canada, Thailand, Spain, South Africa, the Netherlands, and Uruguay.

Past studies show that regular cannabis use can increase a person’s risk for certain health issues such as lung damage , mental health issues , stroke , and heart attack .

Additionally, previous research shows a potential link between cannabis use and known risk factors for dementia .

Now researchers from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus report that heavy cannabis use may negatively impact a person’s working memory , which helps in completing cognitive tasks such as learning and understanding language.

The study was recently published in the journal JAMA Network Open . How might cannabis impact cognitive functions? For this study, researchers analyzed data from more than 1,000 young adults aged 22 to 36 who were categorized as one of the following: heavy cannabis users — used more than 1,000 times over their lifetime moderate users 10 to 999 times used during their life nonusers who used cannabis less than 10 times. Scientists analyzed the neural responses in the brains of participants captured through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as they completed seven different cognitive tasks, including tasks testing motor skills, emotion, reward, and working memory. “I have had an interest in learning how substances such as cannabis affect brain function since I was a teenager,” Joshua L. Gowin, PhD , […]

Can cannabis affect memory? Largest study yet investigates