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Research studying the effects of cannabis on the brain has often focused on adolescents, but a new study from CU Anschutz researchers looks at population-level impacts of cannabis usage on the brain in older adults. The work is published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.
"More older adults are using cannabis. It's more widely available and is being used for different reasons than in younger folks—such as for sleep and chronic pain," said Anika Guha, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist and faculty research associate in the Department of Psychiatry at CU Anschutz. "Plus, people are living longer. We have to ask, 'What are the long-term effects of cannabis use as we continue to age?'"
The research team found that cannabis usage in older adults was generally associated with larger volumes in several brain regions and better cognitive function in adults ages 40 to 77. Guha said she was surprised by the extent of the positive findings. But she emphasized that cannabis use studies are difficult with often unknown variables, noting the constituents and potency of the cannabis products study subjects used were unknown.
"We're really interested in thinking about both the benefits and risks and understanding this drug in the context of mental health, dementia and more," said Guha. "There's so much more to explore."
In the following Q&A, Guha details the study's findings, the complexities of studying relationships between brain function and cannabis, and why nuanced discussion around studying the drug is critical.
What did you and the team find about the impact cannabis has on brain function for older adults?
The big-picture, overall finding was that greater lifetime cannabis use among middle-aged and older adults (a total of 26,362 participants ages 40 to 77, with an average age of 55) was generally associated with larger brain volumes and better cognitive function.
Specifically, we assessed brain regions that are associated with higher cannabinoid receptor—CB1—density, which we thought would likely be impacted by cannabis use. We also looked at domains of cognitive function that have been associated with cannabis use in the past, including learning and memory, processing speed, attention and executive function.
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