Despite these statistics pointing to the potential harms associated with long-term cannabis use, little is known about the progression from recreational to regular use and its effects on brain structure.Ĭurrent knowledge is mostly inferred from animal studies it has been demonstrated that the main psychoactive component of cannabis (Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol, THC) induces dose-dependent toxicity and structural changes in brain regions rich in cannabinoid CB1 receptors. Similar content being viewed by othersĬannabis is one of the most widely used recreational drugs, taking third place among drugs of concern in addiction treatment services ( Degenhardt et al, 2008). In contrast, the larger gray matter volume detected in the cerebellum of regular smokers without any correlation with the monthly consumption of cannabis may be related to developmental (ontogenic) processes that occur in adolescence. Significant gray matter volume reduction could result either from heavy consumption unrelated to the age of onset or instead from recreational cannabis use initiated at an adolescent age. The age of onset of drug use also influences the magnitude of these changes. Furthermore, these changes correlate with the frequency of cannabis use in the 3 months before inclusion in the study. We provide evidence that regular cannabis use is associated with gray matter volume reduction in the medial temporal cortex, temporal pole, parahippocampal gyrus, insula, and orbitofrontal cortex these regions are rich in cannabinoid CB1 receptors and functionally associated with motivational, emotional, and affective processing. In the present study, we investigate (using Voxel-based Morphometry) gray matter changes in a group of regular cannabis smokers in comparison with a group of occasional smokers matched by the years of cannabis use. However, research in humans does not show common findings across studies regarding the brain regions that are affected after long-term exposure to cannabis. The dose-dependent toxicity of the main psychoactive component of cannabis in brain regions rich in cannabinoid CB1 receptors is well known in animal studies.
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