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Preliminary Evidence for a Sex-Specific Relationship between Amount of Cannabis Use and Neurocognitive Performance in Young Adult Cannabis Users

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 August 2013

Natania A. Crane ,
Randi Melissa Schuster  and
Raul Gonzalez
Natania A. Crane
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
Randi Melissa Schuster
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
Raul Gonzalez*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, Florida
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to: Raul Gonzalez, 11200 S.W. 8th Street Miami, FL 33199. E-mail: raul.gonzalez47@fiu.edu.
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Abstract

Accumulating evidence suggests neuropsychological deficits from cannabis use, with a burgeoning area of preclinical research indicating possible sex-differences. However, few studies have examined how cannabis use may differentially impact neurocognition in male and female cannabis users. As such, we examined potential sex-differences in associations between amount of cannabis use (across several time frames) and neurocognitive performance among young adult regular cannabis users. Consistent with previous studies, more cannabis use was generally associated with poorer episodic memory and decision-making, but not other measures of inhibitory control. However, patterns of results suggested sex-specific dissociations. In particular, more cannabis use was more consistently associated with poorer episodic memory performance in females than males. Conversely, more cannabis use was associated with poorer decision-making performance for males, but not females. These results provide further evidence for residual cannabis-associated neurocognitive deficits and suggest the importance of examining the impact of cannabis on neurocognition separately for males and females. (JINS, 2013, 19, 1–7)

Keywords

CannabisCognitionMarijuanaNeuropsychologySex differencesTHC
Type
Brief Communication
Information
Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society , Volume 19 , Issue 9 , October 2013 , pp. 1009 - 1015
Copyright
Copyright © The International Neuropsychological Society 2013 

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