The Complex Relationship Between Cannabis Use and Mental Health: Considering the Influence of Cannabis Use Patterns and Individual Factors.

The relationship between cannabis use and mental health is complex, as studies often report seemingly contradictory findings regarding whether cannabis use results in more positive or negative treatment outcomes. With an increasing number of individuals using cannabis for both recreational (i.e.

A National Survey Study of Cannabis Use During Menopause: Identifying Variables Associated with Recreational, Medical, and Hybrid Use.

Objective: Previous research has demonstrated different cannabis-related outcomes depending on the of cannabis use (i.e., recreational, medical, hybrid of both), underscoring the need to identify variables associated with specific goals of use, particularly in understudied populations.

Identifying Variables Associated with Menopause-Related Shame and Stigma: Results from a National Survey Study.

Despite the significance of menopause as a natural biological milestone experienced by approximately half the population, few studies have evaluated factors associated with menopause-related shame and stigma. Given previous research indicating increased shame and stigma are associated with negative outcomes that directly impact health ( reduced access to health care), it is critical to identify variables associated with menopause-related shame and stigma. As part of a larger, national survey, 214 perimenopausal ( = 111) and postmenopausal ( = 103) individuals completed self-report questionnaires assessing demographics and menopause-related symptoms, shame, and stigma.

CannaCount: an improved metric for quantifying estimates of maximum possible cannabinoid exposure.

Increasing numbers of individuals have access to cannabinoid-based products containing various amounts of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD), and other cannabinoids. Exposure to specific cannabinoids likely influences outcomes; however, current methods for quantifying cannabis exposure do not account for the cannabinoid concentrations of the products used. We developed CannaCount, an examiner-driven metric that quantifies estimated maximum possible cannabinoid exposure by accounting for variables related to cannabinoid concentration, duration, frequency, and quantity of use.

Increased White Matter Coherence Following Three and Six Months of Medical Cannabis Treatment.

Previous studies have demonstrated abnormal white matter (WM) microstructure in recreational cannabis consumers; however, the long-term impact of medical cannabis (MC) use on WM coherence is unknown. Accordingly, this study assessed the longitudinal impact of MC treatment on WM coherence. Given results from preclinical studies, we hypothesized that MC treatment would be associated with increased fractional anisotropy (FA) and reduced mean diffusivity (MD).

Clinical and cognitive improvement following full-spectrum, high-cannabidiol treatment for anxiety: open-label data from a two-stage, phase 2 clinical trial.

Background: Evidence suggests cannabidiol (CBD) has anxiolytic properties, indicating potential for novel treatment strategies. However, few clinical trials of CBD-based products have been conducted, and none thus far have examined the impact of these products on cognition.

Methods: For the open-label stage of clinical trial NCT02548559, autoregressive linear modeling assessed efficacy and tolerability of four-weeks of 1 mL t.

Measuring Ostracism-Induced Changes in Consumption of Palatable Food: Feasibility of a Novel Behavioral Task.

Purpose: Ostracism is a highly aversive interpersonal experience. Previous research suggests that it can increase consumption of highly palatable food in some individuals, but decrease it in others. Thus, we developed the Cyberball-Milkshake Task (CMT), to facilitate research investigating individual differences in ostracism's effects on consumption of highly palatable food.

Elevated striatal glutamate + glutamine in recreational cannabis users during abstinence.

Cannabis withdrawal symptoms contribute to relapse, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. We hypothesize that cannabis withdrawal may be associated with a reset of regional γ-amino butyric acid (GABA) and glutamate concentrations secondary to changes in the endocannabinoid system during abstinence and conducted a study on this issue. We used magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) to detect the associated changes of these neurochemicals in twenty-six frequent, recreational cannabis users and eleven age-matched non-using controls.

A scoping review of the use of cannabidiol in psychiatric disorders.

Cannabidiol (CBD) has become a fast-growing avenue for research in psychiatry, and clinicians are challenged with understanding the implications of CBD for treating mental health disorders. The goal of this review is to serve as a guide for mental health professionals by providing an overview of CBD and a synthesis the current evidence within major psychiatric disorders. PubMed and PsycINFO were searched for articles containing the terms "cannabidiol" in addition to major psychiatric disorders and symptoms, yielding 2952 articles.

Assessing Cannabis Use Disorder in Medical Cannabis Patients: Interim Analyses from an Observational, Longitudinal Study.

Background: To date, no studies have directly assessed potential cannabis use disorder (CUD) in medical cannabis (MC) patients pre- vs post-MC treatment. Given that MC patients use cannabis for symptom alleviation rather than intoxication, we hypothesized that MC patients would exhibit few symptoms of CUD after initiating MC treatment.

Methods: As part of an ongoing observational, longitudinal study, 54 MC patients completed baseline assessments prior to initiating MC use and returned for at least one follow-up assessment after three, six, and/or twelve months of a self-selected MC treatment regimen; detailed MC treatment information was collected and quantified.

An Observational, Longitudinal Study of Cognition in Medical Cannabis Patients over the Course of 12 Months of Treatment: Preliminary Results.

Objective: Cannabis use has increased dramatically across the country; however, few studies have assessed the long-term impact of medical cannabis (MC) use on cognition. Studies examining recreational cannabis users generally report cognitive decrements, particularly in those with adolescent onset. As MC patients differ from recreational consumers in motives for use, product selection, and age of onset, we assessed cognitive and clinical measures in well-characterized MC patients over 1 year.

No pain, all gain? Interim analyses from a longitudinal, observational study examining the impact of medical cannabis treatment on chronic pain and related symptoms.

Previous studies have demonstrated improvements in pain following short-term medical cannabis (MC) use, suggesting long-term MC treatment may alleviate symptoms associated with chronic pain. The goal of this observational and longitudinal study was to examine patients using MC to treat chronic pain pre versus post MC treatment. These interim analyses included 37 patients with chronic pain evaluated prior to initiation of MC treatment and following 3 and 6 months of MC use; pain, clinical state, sleep, quality of life, and conventional medication use were assessed.

Urinary Tetrahydrocannabinol After 4 Weeks of a Full-Spectrum, High-Cannabidiol Treatment in an Open-label Clinical Trial.

This cohort study examines whether consumption of a high-cannabidiol product resulted in detectable amounts of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol metabolites in the urine samples of participants.

The Impact of Micronutrient Fortified Foods on Cognitive Functioning among Low-Income Children: A Pilot and Feasibility Study.

Brain development continues throughout childhood and requires micronutrients for optimal maturation, but studies have typically examined only a limited number of micronutrients and there has been inconsistent use of validated cognitive measures. This study evaluated the impact of providing low-income children with a daily fortified meal (570 kcal) in the form of a bar and shake containing >75% of the FDA Daily Values for all essential vitamins and minerals, as well as macronutrients (e.g.

Recreational cannabis use impairs driving performance in the absence of acute intoxication.

Background: Across the nation, growing numbers of individuals are exploring the use of cannabis for medical or recreational purposes, and the proportion of cannabis-positive drivers involved in fatal crashes increased from 8 percent in 2013 to 17 percent in 2014, raising concerns about the impact of cannabis use on driving. Previous studies have demonstrated that cannabis use is associated with impaired driving performance, but thus far, research has primarily focused on the effects of acute intoxication.

Methods: The current study assessed the potential impact of cannabis use on driving performance using a customized driving simulator in non-intoxicated, heavy, recreational cannabis users and healthy controls (HCs) without a history of cannabis use.

Altered white matter microstructural organization in posttraumatic stress disorder across 3047 adults: results from the PGC-ENIGMA PTSD consortium.

A growing number of studies have examined alterations in white matter organization in people with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) using diffusion MRI (dMRI), but the results have been mixed which may be partially due to relatively small sample sizes among studies. Altered structural connectivity may be both a neurobiological vulnerability for, and a result of, PTSD. In an effort to find reliable effects, we present a multi-cohort analysis of dMRI metrics across 3047 individuals from 28 cohorts currently participating in the PGC-ENIGMA PTSD working group (a joint partnership between the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium and the Enhancing NeuroImaging Genetics through Meta-Analysis consortium).

Cannabis Use and Consequences.

As an increasing number of states legalize cannabis use for recreational and/or medical purposes, it is increasingly important to understand the neural and cognitive consequences of recreational cannabis use in adolescent consumers. Adolescence is marked by ongoing neuromaturational processes, making this a particularly vulnerable period, particularly regarding exposure to drugs, including cannabis. This review highlights evidence from studies documenting the neural impact of cannabis use in adolescence and explores mediating factors related to cannabis use.

Interactions between recreational cannabis use and cognitive function: lessons from functional magnetic resonance imaging.

Cannabis use is becoming increasingly popular as a growing number of states pass legislation to legalize cannabis and cannabis-derived products for recreational and/or medical purposes. Given the widespread use of cannabis, it is critical to understand the neural consequences related to cannabis use. In this review, we focus on evidence from functional magnetic resonance imaging studies that document acute and residual alterations in brain function during tasks spanning a variety of cognitive domains: executive function, attention and working memory, memory, motor skills, error monitoring, and reward and affective processing.

Made from concentrate? A national web survey assessing dab use in the United States.

Background: Cannabis concentrates, including dabs, contain extremely high levels of Δ-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Although these products appear to be gaining popularity among recreational cannabis consumers, little data exists regarding concentrate use in the US. We conducted a national web-based survey to examine patterns of concentrate use, specifically dabbing.

Marijuana matters: reviewing the impact of marijuana on cognition, brain structure and function, & exploring policy implications and barriers to research.

The neurobiologic effects of cannabis, commonly referred to as 'marijuana' (MJ), have been studied for decades. The impact of recreational MJ use on cognition and measures of brain function and structure is outlined, and variables influencing study results are discussed, including age of the consumer, patterns of MJ use, variations in MJ potency, and the presence of additional cannabinoids. Although evidence suggests that chronic, heavy recreational MJ use is related to cognitive decrements and neural changes, particularly when use begins in adolescence, findings from studies of recreational MJ users may not be applicable to medical marijuana (MMJ) patients given differences in demographic variables, product selection, and reasons for use.