Article
Neurosciences
Annchen R. Knodt, Madeline H. Meier, Antony Ambler, Maria Z. Gehred, HonaLee Harrington, David Ireland, Richie Poulton, Sandhya Ramrakha, Avshalom Caspi, Terrie E. Moffitt, Ahmad R. Hariri
Summary: Cannabis legalization and use are surpassing our understanding of its long-term effects on the brain and behavior. Long-term cannabis users show thinner cortex, smaller subcortical gray matter volumes, and higher machine learning-predicted brain age at midlife, with these differences explained by polysubstance use, especially alcohol and tobacco.
BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY
(2022)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Rosemary Toomey, Renee E. Alpern, Domenic J. Reda, Dewleen G. Baker, Jennifer J. Vasterling, Melvin S. Blanchard, Seth A. Eisen
Summary: The study found that spouses of deployed and nondeployed Gulf War veterans did not show significant differences in neuropsychological functioning, but spouses with psychiatric diagnoses and symptoms, or chronic multisymptom illness (CMI), exhibited impairments characteristic of those conditions.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Karine Hageboutros, Nina Hattiangadi Thomas, Melissa Hutchinson, Brenda Banwell, Katherine T. Baum
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the neuropsychological functioning and associated medical features in pediatric patients with anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis. The results showed that these patients generally had average IQ, but scored in the low average range in tests of verbal and visual memory, as well as aspects of executive functioning. Weaknesses were also observed in visuo-constructional ability and reading comprehension.
JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY
(2023)
Review
Pediatrics
Jennifer Debenham, Louise Birrell, Katrina Champion, Briana Lees, Murat Yucel, Nicola Newton
Summary: Adolescence and early adulthood are crucial periods of neurodevelopment, with delayed or irregular neurodevelopment potentially predisposing young people to substance use, which can lead to functional, structural, and cognitive deficits. Identifying aberrant neurodevelopment is essential for preventing substance use-related harm.
LANCET CHILD & ADOLESCENT HEALTH
(2021)
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Madeline H. Meier
Summary: The review evaluates the associations between cannabis use and psychosocial functioning, finding that occasional cannabis use in adolescence is associated with poorer psychosocial functioning in emerging adulthood, while chronic, frequent use in adulthood regardless of onset age is linked to declines in many domains of psychosocial functioning. The associations are likely due to a combination of causal and non-causal mechanisms, with causal mechanisms likely being social in nature rather than neurotoxic.
CURRENT OPINION IN PSYCHOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Wenyu Jiang, Luhui Cai, Ze Wang
Summary: Substance use disorders are associated with impaired decision making/inhibition control, information processing, and common alterations in frontal and limbic brain areas. A study on marijuana dependence, nicotine dependence, and alcohol dependence found increased brain entropy in these disorders, with overlapping hyper-brain entropy in certain brain regions. Hyper-brain entropy in these areas was correlated with increased impulsivity or reduced inhibition control in substance use disorder, providing a sensitive marker for detecting brain and behavioral alterations.
MEDICAL & BIOLOGICAL ENGINEERING & COMPUTING
(2023)
Review
Neurosciences
Carolina Travassos, Alexandre Sayal, Bruno Direito, Joao Pereira, Teresa Sousa, Miguel Castelo-Branco
Summary: This study systematically reviews and analyzes the methodologies to assess the safety and compatibility of somatosensory stimulation devices in the magnetic resonance environment. The findings show a lack of uniformity in testing methodologies and suggest an assessment methodology for devices used in this environment.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Substance Abuse
Jarrod M. Ellingson, J. Megan Ross, Evan Winiger, Michael C. Stallings, Robin P. Corley, Naomi P. Friedman, John K. Hewitt, Susan F. Tapert, Sandra A. Brown, Tamara L. Wall, Christian J. Hopfer
Summary: Moderate adolescent cannabis use may have negative effects on cognitive functioning, specifically verbal memory, and these effects cannot be explained by familial factors.
Article
Substance Abuse
Julia P. Schleimer, Nathan Smith, ViniNatalie Zaninovic, Katherine M. Keyes, Alvaro Castillo-Carniglia, Ariadne Rivera-Aguirre, Magdalena Cerda
Summary: This study analyzed survey data from Argentina and Chile to investigate the time-varying associations between prior alcohol and tobacco use and adolescent marijuana initiation. The results showed varying trends in these associations over time and place, suggesting the influence of environmental factors. The increasing risk differences highlight the importance of targeting alcohol and tobacco use in interventions to reduce adolescent marijuana use.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Julia Gallagher, Eugenia Mamikonyan, Sharon X. Xie, Baochan Tran, Sarah Shaw, Daniel Weintraub
Summary: COVID-19 has emphasized the importance of remote cognitive testing, but the reliability and validity of virtual cognitive testing in Parkinson's disease (PD) is still unknown. This study found that virtual and in-person cognitive testing generate similar scores at the group level, but with poor to moderate reliability for most tests. In-person cognitive testing with a neuropsychologist remains the gold standard, and it is yet to be determined if virtual cognitive testing is feasible in PD.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Sacha Epskamp, Han L. J. van der Maas, Roseann E. Peterson, Hanna M. van Loo, Steven H. Aggen, Kenneth S. Kendler
Summary: Many people use potentially addictive substances, but not all use leads to heavy use and dependence. This study examines the stability and transitions between three substance use states: zero-use, moderate use, and heavy use. The results show that there are stable moderate use states for alcohol and cannabis, even after meeting criteria for substance abuse or dependency. Moderate use of tobacco, however, is rare.
ADDICTIVE BEHAVIORS
(2022)
Article
Critical Care Medicine
Henriikka Ollila, Riikka Pihlaja, Sanna Koskinen, Annamari Tuulio-Henriksson, Viljami Salmela, Marjaana Tiainen, Laura Hokkanen, Johanna Hastbacka
Summary: This study found that cognitive impairment is a common post-acute sequela of COVID-19, with the most severe impairment observed in patients admitted to the ICU. Among patients with more than 12 years of education, attention and executive functions were particularly affected, especially in male patients.
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Karli K. Watson, Angela D. Bryan, Rachel E. Thayer, Jarrod M. Ellingson, Carillon J. Skrzynski, Kent E. Hutchison
Summary: Research suggests that older adults have increased their cannabis use, and the effects of cannabis differ between older and younger individuals. Resting state functional connectivity (rsFC) measures show differences in brain connectivity between older adult cannabis users and non-users, as well as similarities between young non-users and older non-users. Future studies should investigate the potential risks and benefits of cannabinoids on cognition and brain health for older adults.
FRONTIERS IN AGING NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Substance Abuse
Elizabeth J. D'Amico, Anthony Rodriguez, Joan S. Tucker, Michael S. Dunbar, Eric R. Pedersen, Rachana Seelam
Summary: The study shows that trajectories of alcohol and cannabis use during emerging adulthood are associated with various functional outcomes. Disparities in functioning at similar levels of use highlight the importance of prevention and intervention programs targeting racially/ethnically diverse emerging adults.
DRUG AND ALCOHOL DEPENDENCE
(2022)
Article
Pediatrics
Heli Satila, Laura Mirjami Jolma, Mira Merilainen-Nipuli, Mikko Koivu-Jolma
Summary: This retrospective chart review study aimed to explore the neuropsychological profiles, comorbidity of neuropsychiatric and psychiatric disorders, changes in diagnoses, support at daycare and school, medication use, psychiatric referrals, and progress into further education of participants with borderline intellectual functioning (BIF). The study found that delays in language and gross motor development were the initial concerns of parents seeking healthcare. Comorbid neuropsychiatric and psychiatric diagnoses were common, with a significant number of participants requiring psychiatric services and medication. The majority of participants needed educational support, and the risk of dropping out during secondary studies was found to increase. The results also showed a decline in most neuropsychological subdomains over time, and a portion of the participants later received a diagnosis of intellectual disability (ID). Early developmental signs indicating BIF and the need for timely support included delayed language and motor development, difficulties in executive function, delayed learning of daily activities in preschool children, and difficulties in reading, arithmetic, and abstract reasoning in school-age children. It is important to follow up and provide support for individuals with BIF as they are at risk of being left behind in society. Additionally, repeating neuropsychological testing for cognitive and adaptive functions before graduating elementary school to identify those who meet ID criteria would also be valuable.