Adolescents who quit weed see rapid improvements in memory
- 5 years ago
MASSACHUSETTS — Adolescents who regularly use cannabis but stop for 30 days have better memory and improved cognition compared to those who continue to use pot, according to a new study.
According to NPR, a study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry on Tuesday found that when young people stop using marijuana their verbal learning and memory improve.
Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital looked at 88 participants age 16- 25, who were regular users of marijuana.
According to the study's lead author, Randi Schuster, director of neuropsychology at Massachusetts General Hospital's Center for Addiction Medicine, the researchers recruited a range of participants. Some of the young people smoked once per week, while others smoked almost daily.
Participants were randomly assigned into an abstaining group or a non-abstaining group.
Volunteers had their urine tested weekly and were also given a variety of tasks testing their attention and memory.
Researchers found that after four weeks, there was no noticeable difference in attention scores between the two groups. However, memory scores for nonusers improved, while users' memory scores remained relatively steady.
The study concluded that adolescents learn better when they are not using cannabis, and that some of the deficits from usage appear to be reversible.
According to NPR, a study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry on Tuesday found that when young people stop using marijuana their verbal learning and memory improve.
Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital looked at 88 participants age 16- 25, who were regular users of marijuana.
According to the study's lead author, Randi Schuster, director of neuropsychology at Massachusetts General Hospital's Center for Addiction Medicine, the researchers recruited a range of participants. Some of the young people smoked once per week, while others smoked almost daily.
Participants were randomly assigned into an abstaining group or a non-abstaining group.
Volunteers had their urine tested weekly and were also given a variety of tasks testing their attention and memory.
Researchers found that after four weeks, there was no noticeable difference in attention scores between the two groups. However, memory scores for nonusers improved, while users' memory scores remained relatively steady.
The study concluded that adolescents learn better when they are not using cannabis, and that some of the deficits from usage appear to be reversible.