Cannabis Addiction and the Brain: a Review

Summary & key facts

This review looked at research on how cannabis affects the brain and whether it can cause addiction. The authors say cannabis is the most commonly used drug after alcohol and tobacco, and that more people are developing cannabis use disorder while fewer people see cannabis as risky. Using a widely accepted three-stage model of addiction, they found that cannabis seems to change the brain and behavior in ways that fit that model, much like other addictive drugs, though there are some small differences. The paper says we urgently need more studies that pin down the exact brain changes in people who become dependent on cannabis.

Key facts:

• Cannabis is the most commonly used substance of abuse in the United States after alcohol and tobacco.
• Rates of cannabis use disorder are rising while people's sense of how risky cannabis is has been falling.
• The authors reviewed studies of short-term and long-term effects of cannabis on the brain and behavior.
• They applied a three-stage model of addiction that says repeated drug use causes brain changes that keep the cycle going.
• The review found that cannabis-related problems fit that three-stage model in ways similar to other addictive drugs, but with some small differences.
• The paper calls for urgent research to identify the specific brain changes linked to cannabis dependence in humans.

Abstract

Cannabis is the most commonly used substance of abuse in the United States after alcohol and tobacco. With a recent increase in the rates of cannabis use disorder (CUD) and a decrease in the perceived risk of cannabis use, it is imperative to assess the addictive potential of cannabis. Here we evaluate cannabis use through the neurobiological model of addiction proposed by Koob and Volkow. The model proposes that repeated substance abuse drives neurobiological changes in the brain that can be separated into three distinct stages, each of which perpetuates the cycle of addiction. Here we review previous research on the acute and long-term effects of cannabis use on the brain and behavior, and find that the three-stage framework of addiction applies to CUD in a manner similar to other drugs of abuse, albeit with some slight differences. These findings highlight the urgent need to conduct research that elucidates specific neurobiological changes associated with CUD in humans.

Topics

Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior

Categories

Health Sciences Medicine Pharmacology

Tags

Addiction Cannabidiol Cannabis Clinical psychology Effects of cannabis Medicine Neuroscience Psychiatry Psychology Substance abuse

Substances

Cannabis

Conditions & symptoms

Addiction Substance abuse disorder Addiction or harmful habbits