Altered brain tissue composition in heavy marijuana users

Marijuana is the most widely used illicit substance in the United States; however, previous imaging studies have not detected altered brain structure in marijuana users compared to non-users. Voxel-based morphometry was used to investigate possible differences in brain tissue composition in a group...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Drug and alcohol dependence 2005-01, Vol.77 (1), p.23-30
Main Authors: Matochik, John A., Eldreth, Dana A., Cadet, Jean-Lud, Bolla, Karen I.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Addictive behaviors
Adult
Adult and adolescent clinical studies
Biological and medical sciences
Brain
Brain - metabolism
Brain - pathology
Cannabis
Changes
Drug abusers
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Gray matter
Hippocampus
Human tissues
Humans
Imaging
Magnetic resonance imaging
Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods
Male
Marijuana
Marijuana Abuse - metabolism
Marijuana Abuse - pathology
Medical sciences
Psychoanalysis
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
USA
White matter
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Marijuana is the most widely used illicit substance in the United States; however, previous imaging studies have not detected altered brain structure in marijuana users compared to non-users. Voxel-based morphometry was used to investigate possible differences in brain tissue composition in a group of 11 heavy marijuana users and a group of 8 non-users. All participants were male. Statistical comparisons were made at the voxel level on T1-weighted magnetic resonance images to determine differences in gray matter and white matter tissue density. Compared to non-users, marijuana users had lower gray matter density in a cluster of voxels in the right parahippocampal gyrus ( P = 0.0001), and greater density bilaterally near the precentral gyrus and the right thalamus ( P < 0.04). Marijuana users also had lower white matter density in the left parietal lobe ( P = 0.03), and higher density around the parahippocampal and fusiform gyri on the left side compared to non-users ( P < 0.002). Longer duration of marijuana use (in years) was significantly correlated with higher white matter tissue density in the left precentral gyrus ( P = 0.045). Our preliminary results suggest evidence of possible structural differences in the brain of heavy marijuana users, and localize regions for further investigation of the effects of marijuana in the brain.
ISSN:0376-8716
1879-0046
DOI:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2004.06.011