Marijuana use may hurt intellectual skills in MS patients
Any possible pain relief that marijuana has for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) may be outweighed by the drug's apparent negative effect on thinking skills, according to research published in the March 29, 2011, print issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Some clinical trials have reported a mild benefit of marijuana on pain, bladder dysfunction and spasticity in MS, an auto-immune disease that affects the brain and spinal cord.
The researchers studied two groups of 25 people each between the ages of 18 and 65 with MS. One group used marijuana and the other reported no marijuana use for many years. Urine tests were used to confirm use or non-use of the drug. The groups were matched so there would not be significant differences due to age, gender, level of education, IQ before diagnosis, level of disability and duration of time with MS.
On average, the duration of marijuana use was 26 years. A total of 72 percent of users reported smoking marijuana on a daily basis while 24 percent reported weekly use and one person reported bi-weekly use.
Participants' cognitive skills were tested. The research found that people who used marijuana performed significantly worse with respect to attention, speed of thinking, executive function and visual perception of spatial relationships between objects. For example, on a sensitive test of information processing speed, those using marijuana scored approximately one third lower than non-users. Those who used marijuana were also twice as likely as non-users to be classified as globally cognitively impaired, defined as impairment on two or more aspects of intellectual functioning.
"Given that about 40 to 60 percent of MS patients have problems with cognitive function to begin with, any drug that may add to this burden is cause for concern," said study author Anthony Feinstein, MPhil, MD, PhD, with Sunnybrook Health Services Center and the University of Toronto in Ontario, Canada. "This study provides empirical evidence that prolonged use of inhaled or ingested marijuana in MS patients is associated with poorer cognitive performance, and these effects have to be weighed against any possible benefit of using marijuana for medicinal purposes."
Provided by
American Academy of Neurology
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Mar 28, 2011
Rank: 5 / 5 (4)
For those with chronic use, did they test them again after a week of abstinence to measure any change in perceived intellect? One more incomplete study to toss on the pile.
Mar 28, 2011
Rank: 2.3 / 5 (3)
Mar 28, 2011
Rank: 4 / 5 (3)
Mar 28, 2011
Rank: 5 / 5 (2)
also, every study is incomplete. no one study can look at every possible thing involved. things are complicated with humans. other studies should look at the longer term effects though in non-MSers, for those of us (non-MSers) who don't HAVE to keep using like MS patients.
Mar 28, 2011
Rank: 5 / 5 (1)
Mar 29, 2011
Rank: 3 / 5 (1)
This is correct, as current studies have shown that cannabis use will increase brain activity, cognition, and retention. It also staves off the effects of Alzheimers, and has been show to help stimulate the growth of new brain neurons with synapses (not just dormant neurons).
Mar 29, 2011
Rank: 3 / 5 (1)
Do you have the refs for these studies? or are these your personal opinions?
I ask cause most people come up with random views based on whatever works for them and then try to pass them on as evidence by saying studies have shown... without actually saying which studies; personal opinion is NOT evidence, so I was just wondering which studies these were, where were they published and who the authors are; if you're mentioning info based on EVIDENCE then we should all be able to locate the studies.
I'm not as interested in synaptic studies since those are at early stages and can't be translated into human function. But "staves off the effects of Alzheimers" and "increase brain activity, cognition, and retention"? Please provide refs (unless you personally decided to believe these things and spread them as facts)
btw increased brain activity can be detrimental-depends on where/when.brain hyperactivity does not always equal better function(check any neuro text-NOT random blogs)
Mar 30, 2011
Rank: 5 / 5 (1)
So do some of the various non-narcotic medications for MS.
Would you rather repeatedly and uncontrollably wet your pants during a back spasm in public, or would you rather it took you an extra few seconds to remember where you left your keys?
I'd pick the latter, but to each their own.