How does using hemp actually impact users' brain health?
Dr. Francesca Philby, psychology professor and Burt Moore Chair in Brain Health at the University of Texas at Dallas, has been studying just that and shared her insights with KERA's Ron Corning.
Here are a few key takeaways:
1. Using cannabis under the age of 25 could disrupt crucial brain development.
There are concerns that cannabis use before age 25 can impact development of the prefrontal cortex. We can see it's impact because it's part of the reward system, which cannabis targets. It impairs decision-making and executive planning.
We're also seeing changes in the way it responds to different tasks. So there really are some critical effects there that could be long-lasting in some individuals.
2. Cannabis doesn't help you sleep as much as you may think it does.
Dr. Philby's patients often told her they slept better when the used marijuana before bed, but the quality of their sleep was not as good as they thought.
Similarly to alcohol, cannabis use before bed shortens the duration of deep sleep and can sometimes impair your memory.
3. Cannabis brain research isn't conclusive.
Dr. Philby's studies are observational, which is a research method where investigators observe their subjects in a natural setting without manipulating variables or assigning interventions. In this case, that means the individuals being studied are using cannabis without realizing some of the harm they could be experiencing as a consequence.
I also collaborate a lot with people who are medicinal cannabis prescribers, and they feel that it's very difficult to meet the needs of the patients they see because they don't have good, scientific evidence to help inform how to prescribe the drug, like dosing for example. Then trying to balance that with the needs of their patients, it puts them in a difficult place. So we just need to know more.
But that's why we are hoping the rescheduling of cannabis could allow us to actually look at the potential medical risks and benefits more directly, rather than through observational studies.
Ron Corning is a cohost of KERA's forthcoming talk show, NTX Now. Got a tip? Email Ron at rcorning@kera.org.
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