The role of sleep in the link between cannabis use and memory function: evidence from a cross-sectional study

• Published in: The American journal of drug and alcohol abuse 2024-07, Vol.50 (4), p.1-556
• Main Authors: Brown, T, Ackerman, R A, Kroon, E, Kuhns, L, Cousijn, J, Filbey, F M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cross-sectional studies; Delayed; Efficiency; Learning; Marijuana; Mediation; Memory; Men; Sleep; Sleep disorders; Verbal memory
• ISSN: 0095-2990; 1097-9891; 1097-9891
• DOI: 10.1080/00952990.2024.2362832

It is known that cannabis use affects memory and sleep problems independently. However, to date, how memory and sleep problems may interact as a result of cannabis use remains unknown. We performed a secondary analysis of existing data to determine whether sleep quality mediates the association between cannabis use and memory and whether sex moderated these effects. A total of 141 adults with cannabis use disorder (CUD) (83 men) and 87 without CUD (39 men) participated in this study. Outcome measures included self-reported sleep problems from the past 7 days (Marijuana Withdrawal Checklist), learning and memory performance via the short visual object learning task (sVOLT), short visual object learning task delayed (sVOLTd), and verbal memory via the N-back. Bootstrapped mediation and moderated mediation analyses were run to test if sleep quality mediated the association between cannabis use and memory outcomes and whether sex moderated these effects, respectively. Sleep quality mediated the effect of group (i.e. adults with and without CUD) on sVOLT efficiency scores (indirect effect ß = -.08, 95% CI [-0.14, -0.04]) and sVOLTd efficiency scores (indirect effect ß = -.09, 95% CI [-0.14, -0.04]), where greater sleep difficulties was associated with poorer memory performance (decreased efficiency scores). Sex did not moderate these relationships. These initial findings of a mediating role of sleep in the association between CUD and visual learning memory highlight potential critical downstream effects of disrupted sleep in those with CUD and suggest the importance of investigating sleep in CUD.