(The Lion) — Adolescents and young adults who consume cannabis recreationally are more likely to report psychotic-like experiences such as hallucinating, hearing voices or having delusional thoughts, according to a new study.
The Turkish study surveyed 217 individuals ages 14 to 24 – notably in sets of twins to limit genetic and environmental contributing factors.
Of these individuals, 62 reported recreational marijuana usage while 155 reported never using cannabis, according to Psypost.
The research aimed to examine whether a correlation existed between marijuana usage and brain activity, specifically in the “salience network” – the area of the brain responsible for stimuli regulation and processing.
While researchers found a clear correlation to marijuana usage and reported psychotic experiences, the study didn’t conclude cannabis directly alters the salience network. Researchers said studies will continue to examine which parts of the brain are most likely affected.
The sample group qualified as “recreational users,” those who use cannabis a few times a week to a few times a year. No one in the study reported daily marijuana usage, known as “chronic cannabis use.”
Researchers said they chose this demographic to “identify early-stage subclinical effects on brain structure” and to avoid additional complications related to “prolonged exposure.”
“Given that recreational cannabis use increases during adolescence, a developmental period characterized by heightened environmental sensitivity, it is important to distinguish different types of cannabis consumption,” the study says. “Notably, our findings align with prior research investigating the relationship between adolescent cannabis use and psychoticism.”
The participants didn’t specify their “age of onset, duration, or frequency,” which hinders researchers from finding stark conclusions on “cumulative exposure.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports the correlation between frequent cannabis use and schizophrenia in some individuals. While the biological areas remain to be identified, studies show marijuana’s harm to brain function.
“Cannabis use directly affects the parts of the brain responsible for memory, learning, attention, decision-making, coordination, emotion, and reaction time,” the CDC reports.
About 20% of youth currently consume marijuana, according to a recent peer-reviewed article in Pediatrics Review.
In modern-day cannabis, however, the concentration of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) – “the most prevalent psychoactive substance” – significantly exceeds drug levels from previous decades, the article reports.
“Pediatricians need to be more knowledgeable about cannabis and its health effects on children and adolescents,” the authors argue. “Pediatricians can play a unique role in both preventive counseling and engagement in reduction of its use among youth.”
