Marijuana Use Predicts Cognitive Performance on Tasks of Executive Function
Marijuana Use Predicts Cognitive Performance on Tasks of Executive Function
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DOI：
10.15288/jsad.2016.77.298
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发表时间：
2016-03-01
影响因子：
3.4
通讯作者：
Gruber, Staci A.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Dahlgren, Mary Kathryn;Sagar, Kelly A.;Gruber, Staci A.
目的：尽管有越来越多的证据表明，长期使用大麻与认知障碍有关，特别是在早年开始使用大麻时，但全国趋势表明，随着使用大麻的增加，大麻的感知风险显着降低，特别是在年轻人中。目前的研究评估了大麻使用对执行功能的影响，以及大麻使用的模式，包括发病年龄较早，使用频率较高和使用量增加，是否可以预测损害。方法：从大波士顿地区招募的44名慢性重度大麻吸烟者（37名男性，7名女性）和32名健康非吸烟对照参与者（20名男性，12名女性）完成了两项执行功能评估：Stroop颜色词测试和威斯康星州卡片分类测试（WCST）。结果如下：与对照组参与者相比，大麻吸烟者的执行功能较差，这是一个组间差异，主要是由早期使用大麻的个体（16岁之前; n = 21）驱动的;即使控制使用的频率和幅度，也仍然具有显著性。此外，大麻发病年龄较早和大麻使用增加预测较差的神经认知性能，和持久性错误的WCST显着预测大麻组成员。结论：这些发现强调了大麻使用的早期发作对执行功能障碍的影响，而与使用频率和程度的增加无关。此外，在WCST上表现较差可能是重度大麻使用者的神经心理学标志。这些结果强调了需要进行更多的研究，以确定与早期大麻使用相关的预测因素，因为在发育脆弱时期接触大麻可能会导致负面的认知后果。
Objective: Despite growing evidence that chronic marijuana use is associated with cognitive impairment, particularly when use is initiated at an early age, national trends demonstrate significant decreases in the perceived risk of marijuana corresponding with increased use, especially among youth. The current study assessed the impact of marijuana use on executive function and whether patterns of marijuana use, including earlier age at onset, higher frequency, and increased magnitude of use, predict impairment. Method: Forty-four chronic, heavy marijuana smokers (37 male, 7 female) and 32 healthy, nonsmoking control participants (20 male, 12 female) recruited from the Greater Boston area completed two assessments of executive function: the Stroop Color Word Test and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). Results: Marijuana smokers had poorer executive function relative to control participants, a between-group difference that was primarily driven by individuals with early onset of marijuana use (before age 16; n = 21); significance remained even when controlling for frequency and magnitude of use. Further, earlier age at marijuana onset and increased marijuana use predicted poorer neurocognitive performance, and perseverative errors on the WCST significantly predicted marijuana group membership. Conclusions: These findings underscore the impact of early onset of marijuana use on executive function impairment independent of increased frequency and magnitude of use. In addition, poorer performance on the WCST may serve as a neuropsychological marker for heavy marijuana users. These results highlight the need for additional research to identify predictors associated with early marijuana use, as exposure to marijuana during a period of developmental vulnerability may result in negative cognitive consequences.