Anhedonia, Apathy, Pleasure, and Effort-Based Decision-Making in Adult and Adolescent Cannabis Users and Controls

Abstract

Background Cannabis use may be linked with anhedonia and apathy. However, previous studies have shown mixed results and few have examined the association between cannabis use and specific reward sub-processes. Adolescents may be more vulnerable to harmful effects of cannabis than adults. This study investigated (1) the association between non-acute cannabis use and apathy, anhedonia, pleasure, and effort-based decision-making for reward, and (2) whether these relationships were moderated by age-group. Methods We used data from the ‘CannTeen’ study. Participants were 274 adult (26-29 years) and adolescent (16-17 years) cannabis users (1-7 days/week use in the past three months), and gender- and age-matched controls. Anhedonia was measured with the Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale (n=274), and apathy was measured with the Apathy Evaluation Scale (n=215). Effort-based decision-making for reward was measured with the Physical Effort task (n=139), and subjective wanting and liking of rewards was measured with the novel Real Reward Pleasure task (n=137). Results Controls had higher levels of anhedonia than cannabis users (F1,258=5.35, p=.02, ηp2=.02). There were no other significant effects of User-Group and no significant User-Group*Age-Group interactions. Null findings were supported by post hoc Bayesian analyses. Conclusion Our results suggest that cannabis use at a frequency of three to four days per week is not associated with apathy, effort-based decision-making for reward, reward wanting, or reward liking in adults or adolescents. Cannabis users had lower anhedonia than controls, albeit at a small effect size. These findings are not consistent with the hypothesis that non-acute cannabis use is associated with amotivation.

Chronic cannabis use in everyday life: Emotional, motivational, and self-regulatory effects of frequently getting high

“…This work, however, typically yields mixed results especially among adult users. For example, studies suggest that regular cannabis users are both less (Winters et al, 2022) and more agreeable (Vigil et al, 2022); while other studies suggest that chronic users have both low (Looby & Earleywine, 2007) and normal levels of motivation (Skumlien et al, 2023). We cannot help but wonder if one of the reasons for these mixed results is the implied goal of this research: to reduce use.…”

“…While numerous studies suggest that chronic use is associated with apathy and low motivation (Pacheco-Colón et al, 2018), many of these associations disappear once analyses control for influential third variables like personality, depression, and alcohol use (Petrucci et al, 2020). Some studies find no relationship between chronic cannabis use on the one hand and apathy and objective effort willingness on the other hand (Skumlien et al, 2023). Remarkably, other studies suggest that chronic users are more-not less-motivated, when motivation is assessed via objective behavioral tasks and not simply subjective self-report (Vele et al, 2022).…”

Suicidal Behavior in the Context of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder — Psychiatric and Psychosocial Aspects

“…В свою очередь, последняя рассматривается в качестве фактора высокого риска суицидального поведения у данного контингента лиц [55]. В частности, обследование 274 пациентов с ПТСР с использованием стандартизированных шкал показало, что уровень потребления каннабиса коррелировал с выраженностью ангедонии [56]. При коморбидном злоупотреблении ПАВ закономерно нарастает социальная дезадаптация, что негативно влияет на прогноз и динамику выздоровления и приводит к повышению риска суицида.…”

Consequences of adolescent drug use

“…There are failures to find any effects of cannabis smoke or THC vapor exposures in male and female rats during adolescence using assays for cognition and anxiety-like behaviors [163,164]. In humans, moderate adolescent cannabis users have reported less anhedonia than nonusers [165]. Another study found no effect of moderate adolescent cannabis use on ventral striatum activity in a test of reward anticipation [166], again indicating the importance of considering dose in analyses of the effects of all drugs.…”