Gowin, J. L., Ellingson, J. M., Karoly, H. C., Manza, P., Ross, J. M., Sloan, M. E., … & Volkow, N. D. (2025). Brain Function Outcomes of Recent and Lifetime Cannabis Use. JAMA Network Open, 8(1), e2457069-e2457069.
Rationale: Previous studies have shown that cannabis use reduces neural activation related to thinking, memory, emotion, reward processing, and social processing.
Method: A 2025 study evaluated more than 1000 participants between the ages of 22 and 37. Researchers gave subjects working memory tasks while measuring their brain activity in an MRI. Researchers found the areas of the brain that were active during working memory tasks and compared them in users and non-users.
Results: Participants who used cannabis had reduced working memory capacity.
Meaning: These data indicate that heavy or recent cannabis use impairs working memory. Users may have a harder time learning new information or focusing on everyday tasks.