Cannabis Use and Cognitive Impairment Among Male Adolescents: A Case-control Study

Abstract

Cannabis use by adolescents is a public health problem because it can cause cognitive impairment and educational deterioration. The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence and correlates of cognitive impairment among male adolescents with cannabis use in comparison with a control group. This is a case-control study that included 1682 adolescents who just finished their secondary school. A drug screen was made for all participants. Cognitive assessment using Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scale was carried out for adolescents with positive urine screen for cannabis and a control group of adolescents with negative urine screen for drugs. The prevalence of cannabis use among adolescents was 2.14%. About one third of the cases started to use cannabis before the age of 15 years. Fiftysix percent used cannabis frequently ( > 4 times/wk). Adolescents with cannabis use were more likely to have cognitive impairment based on MoCA than controls (78% vs. 44%, P = 0.004). Cases were more likely to have impairment in naming, abstraction, orientation, and total MoCA score than controls. Adolescents who started cannabis use early (below 15 y) had impairment in visuospatial/executive, attention, language, abstraction, delayed recall, and total MoCA score compared with those who started late (above 15 y). In addition, adolescents who use cannabis frequently had impairment in all cognitive domains except naming compared with those who used it occasionally. To conclude, the current study found that adolescents with cannabis use were more likely to have cognitive impairment than controls and this impairment was associated with age of onset and frequency of cannabis use.

Cannabis use and effect of cannabis abstinence on cognitive functioning in young people — an observational case-control follow-up study from rehabilitation centre in Andhra Pradesh

“…The majority of the past studies have suggested a significant cognitive decline in cannabis abusers compared to non-abusers and healthy controls [13][14][15][16]. Bassiony et al in their case-control study on 1682 adolescents found that adolescents who use cannabis frequently had impairment in cognitive functions, and their total MoCA score was less than the controls [17]. Bartholomew et al reported prospective memory impairments associated with cannabis use in young adults [18].…”

Mind Matters: Exploring the Intersection of Psychological Factors and Cognitive Abilities of University Students by Using ANN Model

“…While originally designed for diagnosis of mild and severe cognitive impairments in the aged population by Nasreddine and colleagues, 20 MoCA and its vernacular versions have been efficiently extended to young adult and adolescent student populations in several studies. [21][22][23][24] Use of MoCA has also been undertaken specifically in Indian students. 25 Using these questionnaire-based instruments, in this study, we investigated the emotional status and cognitive functioning in university students for the exploration of any potential associations.…”