Marijuana's Effects on Brain Structure and Function: What Do We Know and What Should We Do? A Brief Review and Commentary

Richard D deShazo; Sara B Parker; Daniel Williams; John B Ingram; Mahmoud Elsohly; Kathryn Rodenmeyer; Kyle McCullouch

doi:10.1016/j.amjmed.2018.09.006

Marijuana's Effects on Brain Structure and Function: What Do We Know and What Should We Do? A Brief Review and Commentary

Am J Med. 2019 Mar;132(3):281-285. doi: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2018.09.006. Epub 2018 Sep 18.

Authors

Richard D deShazo¹, Sara B Parker², Daniel Williams³, John B Ingram⁴, Mahmoud Elsohly⁵, Kathryn Rodenmeyer⁶, Kyle McCullouch⁷

Affiliations

¹ Department of Medicine, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson; Department of Pediatrics, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson; Mississippi Public Broadcasting, Jackson. Electronic address: rdeshazo@umc.edu.
² Department of Medicine, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson.
³ Department of Psychiatry, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson.
⁴ Department of Pediatrics, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson; Department of Neurology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson.
⁵ The National Center for Natural Products Research, University of Mississippi, Oxford.
⁶ Mississippi Public Broadcasting, Jackson.
⁷ Department of Medicine, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson; The National Center for Natural Products Research, University of Mississippi, Oxford.

PMID: 30240677
DOI: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2018.09.006

Abstract

The recent US Food and Drug Administration approval of the marijuana constituent cannabidiol as safe and effective for treatment of 2 rare forms of epilepsy has raised hopes that others of the 500 chemicals in marijuana will be found to be therapeutic. However, the long-term consequences of street marijuana use are unclear, and recent studies raise red flags about its effects. Changes in brain maturation and intellectual function, including decreases in intelligence quotient, have been noted in chronic users and appear permanent in early users in most but not all studies. These studies suggest that at a minimum, regular marijuana use should be discouraged in individuals under the age of 21.

Keywords: Adolescents; Brain development; Marijuana; Teenager.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Adolescent Development*
Affect*
Brain / growth & development*
Brain / physiopathology
Cognition*
Cognitive Dysfunction / etiology*
Humans
Marijuana Use / adverse effects*