Abnormal brain structure for heavy smokers of marijuana

Abnormal brain structure for heavy smokers of marijuana

Adolescents who smoked marijuana every day for three years had, years later, abnormal brain structure on working memory and offered poor performance on tests of memory, say researchers at the American University Northwestern.

Brain abnormalities and memory problems have been observed in patients two years after they have stopped smoking marijuana, which could indicate that chronic use causes long-term problems. Brain structures associated with memory seemed to shrink and implode, which may reflect a decline in the number of neurons.

The study also shows that brain abnormalities are associated with poor working memory and they resemble anomalies in patients with schizophrenia. Working memory to retrieve and use instantly necessary information, and the need to transfer to long-term memory.

Most subjects were young when they started smoking marijuana, more brain abnormalities were pronounced. The researchers believe that brain regions associated with memory are potentially more vulnerable to long-term effects of the drug if the excess start early.

The researchers now want to hold further studies to clarify the exact nature of the link between marijuana use and the changes detected in the brain.

The findings of this study are published in the journal Schizophrenia Bulletin.