Høeg, Kirstine Maarup and Frodegaard, Rasmus Ljungbeck and Grønkjær, Marie and Osler, Merete and Mortensen, Erik Lykke and Flensborg-Madsen, Trine and Okholm, Gunhild Tidemann (2024) Cannabis use and age-related changes in cognitive function from early adulthood to late midlife in 5162 Danish men. Brain and Behavior, 14, (11), e70136. https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.70136.
External website: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/brb3.7...
INTRODUCTION Cannabis is by far the most widely used and abused drug listed on the Drug Enforcement Administration's Schedule I, which includes drugs with a high potential for abuse. There is evidence of short-term negative effects of cannabis use on cognition, but only a limited number of studies have explored the association between cannabis use and age-related cognitive decline. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between cannabis use and age-related cognitive decline from early adulthood to late midlife.
METHODS The study population consisted of 5162 men who had participated in Danish follow-up studies on cognitive aging. These studies included scores on the military intelligence test Børge Prien's Prøve from both the conscription assessment (mean age = 20 years; p1 and p99: 18 and 26 years) and from the follow-up (mean age = 64 years; p1 and p99: 55 and 72 years) as well as extensive data on lifestyle and health from the follow-up questionnaires. The association between cannabis use and age-related cognitive decline was investigated in linear regression models.
RESULTS Men with a history of cannabis use had less cognitive decline from early adulthood to late midlife compared to men without a history of cannabis use. Among cannabis users, neither age of initiation of cannabis use nor frequent use was significantly associated with a greater age-related cognitive decline.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS In a sample of more than 5000 men followed for a mean of 44 years, we found no significant harmful effects of cannabis use on age-related cognitive decline.
E Concepts in biomedical areas > Nervous system physiology (brain, neural)
F Concepts in psychology > Cognition / Memory
G Health and disease > Neurological condition / disease (nervous system, brain)
T Demographic characteristics > Man (men / male)
T Demographic characteristics > Adult
T Demographic characteristics > Young adult
T Demographic characteristics > Elderly / Older person
VA Geographic area > Europe > Denmark
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