Study Challenges Myths About Cannabis, Brain Health, and IQ

Summary: A investigation spanning 44 times and involving over 5, 000 people challenges long-held ideas about hemp and thinking. Researchers discovered that cannabis users had a significantly lower mental decline from first adulthood to later midlife compared to nonusers.

Neither the induction years of cannabis use nor the usage frequency revealed a major impact on cognitive decline. Although further investigation is required to confirm these findings, it seems as though long-term cannabis use does not significantly reduce cognitive ageing and may even be beneficial.

Important Information:

    Mental Decline: Cannabis people experienced 1.3 IQ items less reduction over 44 times compared to nonusers.

  • Initiation Age: Starting hemp before age 18 had no major impact on long-term cognitive decline.
  • Frequency of Use: Regular cannabis use ( ≥2 times per week ) was not associated with greater cognitive decline.

Origin: Neuroscience News

Cannabis, usually maligned for its short-term mental effects, may not have the long-term impact on mental brightness previously thought.

A pioneering Danish study that followed over 5, 000 men for 44 years found that cannabis users had significantly less mental collapse from first adulthood to later midlife compared to nonusers.

Despite having a reputation for injury and being a Schedule I medication, this study suggests that its effects on aging brains may be more subtle.

Using intelligence test results from both first adulthood and decades later, the study looked at mental changes.

Even after taking into account lifestyle factors like training and substance use, cannabis users showed a slight advantage in maintaining IQ rates over time.

Additionally, neither the frequency with which cannabis use began nor how frequently it was used drastically accelerated mental decline.

These studies challenge earlier conceits that cannabis use causes a steep cognitive decline.

Alternatively, they hint at a complicated relationship where aspects like foundation IQ, training, and lifestyle may play a larger part.

The study opens the door to further investigation of hemp ‘ long-term effects on thinking, despite the fact that the differences were small and might not be clinically significant.

Funding: This labor was supported by a number of offers. The DanACo group was established by pooling the two follow-up reports, the LiKO-15 and DiaKO-19 reports.

The establishment of the LiKO-15 study was part of the Phenotypes in Alcohol Use Disorders project, which was supported by Innovation Fund Denmark, Health and Clinical Research ( Grant Number 603-00520B ) and was further supported by the Center for Healthy Aging, University of Copenhagen, and a PhD scholarship grant to MG from the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen.

The creation of the DiaKO-19 group was supported by offers from Independent Research Fund Denmark ( Grant Number: 8020-00094B), Svend Andersen base, and Doctor Sofus Carl Emil Friis and family Olga Doris Friis’s basis.

Further support for ongoing research using the LiKO-15 and DiaKO-19 cohorts has been granted by the Lundbeck foundation ( Grant Number: R380-2021-1433 ), Helsefonden ( Grant Number: 22-B-0196 ), and by the internal research funds of Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg hospitals.

The money systems had no part in the design of the research, nor in the collection, research, and interpretation of data and creating of the book.

About this hemp and thinking study news

Author: Neuroscience News Communications
Source: Neuroscience News
Contact: Neuroscience News Communications – Neuroscience News
Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News

Original Research: Start exposure.
By Kirstine Maarup Héeg and colleagues,” Cannabis Use and Age-Related Changes in Cognitive Function From First Adulthood to Soon Midlife in 5162 Danish Men.” Brain and Behavior


Abstract

In 5162 Danish Men, age-related changes in mental function from first adulthood to late middle age are related to cannabis use and cognitive function.

Introduction

The substance with the highest potential for abuse is marijuana, which is by far the most frequently used and abused medication on Schedule I of the Drug Enforcement Administration. Just a small number of studies have examined the link between cannabis use and aging-related cognitive decline, despite the existence of information for short-term, adverse effects of the drug. The purpose of the current study was to examine the link between smoking and cognitive decline as people age between early adulthood and later middle life.

Methods

5162 men who had participated in Norwegian follow-up reports on mental aged made up the study sample. These studies included scores on the military intelligence test Børge Prien’s Prøve from both the conscription assessment ( mean age&nbsp, =&nbsp, 20&nbsp, years, p1 and p99: 18 and 26&nbsp, years ) and from the follow-up ( mean age&nbsp, =&nbsp, 64&nbsp, years, p1 and p99: 55 and 72&nbsp, years ) as well as extensive data on lifestyle and health from the follow-up questionnaires. In horizontal analysis models, the relationship between cannabis use and age-related mental decline was examined.

Results

Men who have a background of cannabis use had less mental decline from first adulthood to late middle age compared to men who have never used it. No significant relationship between the introduction of cannabis use and regular use was found to be between the ages of mental decline in cannabis users.

Discussion and Opinions

In a sample of more than 5000 men followed for a mean of 44&nbsp, years, we found no significant damaging effects of cannabis use on age-related mental decline.

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