Differences in regional blood volume during a 28-day period of abstinence in chronic cannabis smokers

Sneider, Jennifer T.; Pope, Harrison G.; Silveri, Marisa M.; Simpson, Norah; Gruber, Staci A.; Yurgelun‐Todd, Deborah

doi:10.1016/j.euroneuro.2008.04.016

Cited by 46 publications

(41 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…Cerebellar arteries express CB1 receptors in the smooth muscle layer (57), but because comparisons with arteries in other brain regions have not been done, it is not possible to determine if higher levels of CB1 receptors in cerebellar arteries underlie their higher sensitivity to vascular effects from marijuana. However, CB1 receptors in cerebellum are also expressed in neurons and glia (58), and the cerebellum is a region that is affected in marijuana abusers (59)(60)(61); thus, we cannot rule out the possibility that other factors contribute to the lack of an effect of MP on the cerebellar DV in the marijuana abusers.…”

Section: Mp-induced Changes In DVmentioning

confidence: 98%

Decreased dopamine brain reactivity in marijuana abusers is associated with negative emotionality and addiction severity

Volkow

Wang

Telang

et al. 2014

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

188

147

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Moves to legalize marijuana highlight the urgency to investigate effects of chronic marijuana in the human brain. Here, we challenged 48 participants (24 controls and 24 marijuana abusers) with methylphenidate (MP), a drug that elevates extracellular dopamine (DA) as a surrogate for probing the reactivity of the brain to DA stimulation. We compared the subjective, cardiovascular, and brain DA responses (measured with PET and [ 11 C]raclopride) to MP between controls and marijuana abusers. Although baseline (placebo) measures of striatal DA D2 receptor availability did not differ between groups, the marijuana abusers showed markedly blunted responses when challenged with MP. Specifically, compared with controls, marijuana abusers had significantly attenuated behavioral ("self-reports" for high, drug effects, anxiety, and restlessness), cardiovascular (pulse rate and diastolic blood pressure), and brain DA [reduced decreases in distribution volumes (DVs) of [ 11 C]raclopride, although normal reductions in striatal nondisplaceable binding potential (BP ND )] responses to MP. In ventral striatum (key brain reward region), MP-induced reductions in DVs and BP ND (reflecting DA increases) were inversely correlated with scores of negative emotionality, which were significantly higher for marijuana abusers than controls. In marijuana abusers, DA responses in ventral striatum were also inversely correlated with addiction severity and craving. The attenuated responses to MP, including reduced decreases in striatal DVs, are consistent with decreased brain reactivity to the DA stimulation in marijuana abusers that might contribute to their negative emotionality (increased stress reactivity and irritability) and addictive behaviors.nucleus accumbens | amotivation | cannabinoid 1 receptors | brain imaging | midbrain D espite the high prevalence of marijuana consumption, the effects of marijuana abuse in the human brain are not well understood. Marijuana, like other drugs of abuse, stimulates brain dopamine (DA) signaling in the nucleus accumbens (1, 2), which is a mechanism believed to underlie the rewarding effects of drugs (3-5) and to trigger the neuroadaptations that result in addiction (reviewed in ref. 6). Indeed, in humans, imaging studies have shown that drugs of abuse increase DA release in striatum (including the nucleus accumbens), and these increases have been associated with the subjective experience of reward (7-9). However, for marijuana, the results have been inconsistent: One study reported striatal DA increases during intoxication (10); two studies showed no effects (11, 12); and one study reported DA increases in individuals with a psychotic disorder and in their relatives, but not in controls (13). Imaging studies of the brain DA system in marijuana abusers have also shown different findings from those reported for other types of substance abusers. Specifically, substance abusers (cocaine, methamphetamine, alcohol, heroin, and nicotine), but not marijuana abusers (14-16), show reduced baseline availability ...

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Section: Mp-induced Changes In DVmentioning

confidence: 98%

Decreased dopamine brain reactivity in marijuana abusers is associated with negative emotionality and addiction severity

Volkow

Wang

Telang

et al. 2014

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

188

147

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The imaging methods used were 133 Xe-SPECT (Mathew et al 1986 ;Tunving et al 1986 ;Lundqvist et al 2001 Sneider et al 2008). In a group of nine chronic cannabis users, assessed within 1 week of drug cessation, Tunving et al (1986) found a reduction in global CBF relative to controls that did not correlate with the duration of cannabis consumption.…”

Section: Non-acute Effects On Resting State Activitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Mathew et al (1986) assessed 17 chronic cannabis users after 12 h of abstinence and found no differences in either global or rCBF between cannabis users and controls. Sneider et al (2008) examined changes in regional blood volume (rCBV) in a group of 17 healthy controls and 15 cannabis users. Imaging data were collected between 6 and 36 h after the subjects' last cannabis use, and again after 7 and 28 days of supervised cannabis abstinence.…”

Section: Non-acute Effects On Resting State Activitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Neuroimaging in cannabis use: a systematic review of the literature

et al. 2009

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Background. We conducted a systematic review to assess the evidence for specific effects of cannabis on brain structure and function. The review focuses on the cognitive changes associated with acute and chronic use of the drug.Method. We reviewed literature reporting neuroimaging studies of chronic or acute cannabis use published up until January 2009. The search was conducted using Medline, EMBASE, LILACS and PsycLIT indexing services using the following key words : cannabis, marijuana, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, THC, cannabidiol, CBD, neuroimaging, brain imaging, computerized tomography, CT, magnetic resonance, MRI, single photon emission tomography, SPECT, functional magnetic resonance, fMRI, positron emission tomography, PET, diffusion tensor MRI, DTI-MRI, MRS and spectroscopy.Results. Sixty-six studies were identified, of which 41 met the inclusion criteria. Thirty-three were functional (SPECT/PET/fMRI) and eight structural (volumetric/DTI) imaging studies. The high degree of heterogeneity across studies precluded a meta-analysis. The functional studies suggest that resting global and prefrontal blood flow are lower in cannabis users than in controls. The results from the activation studies using a cognitive task are inconsistent because of the heterogeneity of the methods used. Studies of acute administration of THC or marijuana report increased resting activity and activation of the frontal and anterior cingulate cortex during cognitive tasks. Only three of the structural imaging studies found differences between users and controls.Conclusions. Functional neuroimaging studies suggest a modulation of global and prefrontal metabolism both during the resting state and after the administration of THC/marijuana cigarettes. Minimal evidence of major effects of cannabis on brain structure has been reported.

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“…Similarly, looking beyond MS, the resting-state functional imaging literature gives few clues as well. Of the 6 resting-state studies that explored the nonacute effects of cannabis, only one used fMRI 24 and here the emphasis was on cerebral blood volume as elicited by dynamic susceptibility contrast MRI. Serial data were collected during an enforced period of abstinence from cannabis users and healthy, nondrugusing control subjects.…”

Section: E14mentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of cannabis on cognition in patients with MS

et al. 2014

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Objective: To determine functional and structural neuroimaging correlates of cognitive dysfunction associated with cannabis use in multiple sclerosis (MS). Methods:In a cross-sectional study, 20 subjects with MS who smoked cannabis and 19 noncannabis users with MS, matched on demographic and neurologic variables, underwent fMRI while completing a test of working memory, the N-Back. Resting-state fMRI and structural MRI data (lesion and normal-appearing brain tissue volumes, diffusion tensor imaging metrics) were also collected. Neuropsychological data pertaining to verbal (Selective Reminding Test Revised) and visual (10/36 Spatial Recall Test) memory, information processing speed (Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test [2-and 3-second versions] and Symbol Digit Modalities Test), and attention (Word List Generation) were obtained. Results:The cannabis group performed more poorly on the more demanding of the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test tasks (i.e., 2-second version) (p , 0.02) and the 10/36 Spatial Recall Test (p , 0.03). Cannabis users had more diffuse cerebral activation across all N-Back trials and made more errors on the 2-Back task (p , 0.006), during which they displayed increased activation relative to nonusers in parietal (p , 0.007) and anterior cingulate (p , 0.001) regions implicated in working memory. No group differences in resting-state networks or structural MRI variables were found. Conclusions:Patients with MS who smoke cannabis are more cognitively impaired than nonusers.Cannabis further compromises cerebral compensatory mechanisms, already faulty in MS. These imaging data boost the construct validity of the neuropsychological findings and act as a cautionary note to cannabis users and prescribers. Cognitive dysfunction affects 40% to 60% of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).1 Data suggest that patients with MS who smoke cannabis have more extensive cognitive difficulties than those who do not. In particular, problems with working memory, 2 information processing speed, and executive dysfunction 3 appear to be exacerbated by the use of cannabis. Given that cognitive deficits in patients with MS are known to adversely affect the ability to sustain employment, maintain relationships, continue recreational pursuits, and attend to activities of daily living, 4 a better understanding of how smoking cannabis may impair brain function in MS is needed.To date, there have been no imaging-cognition studies of patients with MS who smoke cannabis. This contrasts with an extensive MRI literature of patients with MS in general in which cognitive deficits have been linked to numerous structural and functional brain metrics.

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Differences in regional blood volume during a 28-day period of abstinence in chronic cannabis smokers

Cited by 46 publications

References 43 publications

Decreased dopamine brain reactivity in marijuana abusers is associated with negative emotionality and addiction severity

Decreased dopamine brain reactivity in marijuana abusers is associated with negative emotionality and addiction severity

Neuroimaging in cannabis use: a systematic review of the literature

Effects of cannabis on cognition in patients with MS

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