The University of Texas
researchers demonstrated for the first time with functional magnetic resonance
imaging that long-term marijuana users had more brain activity in the
mesocorticolimbic-reward system when presented with cannabis cues than with
natural reward cues.
Dr Francesca Filbey, director of
Cognitive Neuroscience Research in Addictive Disorders at the Center for
BrainHealth, said that this study shows that marijuana disrupts the natural
reward circuitry of the brain, making marijuana highly salient to those who use
it heavily. In essence, these brain alterations could be a marker of transition
from recreational marijuana use to problematic use.
Researchers studied 59 adult
marijuana users and 70 nonusers, accounting for potential biases such as traumatic
brain injury and other drug use. Study participants rated their urge to use
marijuana after looking at various visual cannabis cues, such as a pipe, bong,
joint or blunt, and self-selected images of preferred fruit, such as a banana,
an apple, grapes or an orange.
Researchers also collected
self-reports from the study participants to measure problems associated with
marijuana use. On average, marijuana participants had used the drug for 12
years.
Filbey noted that they found that
this disruption of the reward system correlates with the number of problems,
such as family issues, individuals have because of their marijuana use.
Continued marijuana use despite these problems is an indicator of marijuana
dependence.
The study is published in Human
Brain Mapping.
Source: ANI
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