RATIONALE: Chronic cannabis use has been related to deficits in cognition (particularly memory) and the normal functioning of brain structures sensitive to cannabinoids. There is increasing evidence that conflict monitoring and resolution processes (i.e. the ability to detect and respond to change) may be affected. OBJECTIVES: This study examined the ability to inhibit an automatic reading response in order to activate a more difficult naming response (i.e. conflict resolution) in a variant of the discrete trial Stroop colour-naming task. METHODS: Event-related brain potentials to neutral, congruent and incongruent trials were compared between 21 cannabis users (mean 16.4 years of near daily use) in the unintoxicated state and 19 non-using controls. RESULTS: Cannabis users showed increased errors on colour-incongruent trials (e.g. "RED" printed in blue ink) but no performance differences from controls on colour congruent (e.g. "RED" printed in red ink) or neutral trials (e.g. "*****" printed in green ink). Poorer incongruent trial performance was predicted by an earlier age of onset of regular cannabis use. Users showed altered expression of a late sustained potential related to conflict resolution, evident by opposite patterns of activity between trial types at midline and central sites, and altered relationships between neurophysiological and behavioural outcome measures not evident in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that chronic use of cannabis may impair the brain's ability to respond optimally in the presence of events that require conflict resolution and hold implications for the ability to refrain from substance misuse and/or maintain substance abstention behaviours.
RATIONALE: Chronic cannabis use has been related to deficits in cognition (particularly memory) and the normal functioning of brain structures sensitive to cannabinoids. There is increasing evidence that conflict monitoring and resolution processes (i.e. the ability to detect and respond to change) may be affected. OBJECTIVES: This study examined the ability to inhibit an automatic reading response in order to activate a more difficult naming response (i.e. conflict resolution) in a variant of the discrete trial Stroop colour-naming task. METHODS: Event-related brain potentials to neutral, congruent and incongruent trials were compared between 21 cannabis users (mean 16.4 years of near daily use) in the unintoxicated state and 19 non-using controls. RESULTS: Cannabis users showed increased errors on colour-incongruent trials (e.g. "RED" printed in blue ink) but no performance differences from controls on colour congruent (e.g. "RED" printed in red ink) or neutral trials (e.g. "*****" printed in green ink). Poorer incongruent trial performance was predicted by an earlier age of onset of regular cannabis use. Users showed altered expression of a late sustained potential related to conflict resolution, evident by opposite patterns of activity between trial types at midline and central sites, and altered relationships between neurophysiological and behavioural outcome measures not evident in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that chronic use of cannabis may impair the brain's ability to respond optimally in the presence of events that require conflict resolution and hold implications for the ability to refrain from substance misuse and/or maintain substance abstention behaviours.
Authors: Patrik Roser; Georg Juckel; Johannes Rentzsch; Thomas Nadulski; Jürgen Gallinat; Andreas M Stadelmann Journal: Eur Neuropsychopharmacol Date: 2008-06-10 Impact factor: 4.600
Authors: Johannes Rentzsch; Almut Penzhorn; Kim Kernbichler; Doris Plöckl; Ana Gómez-Carrillo de Castro; Jürgen Gallinat; Maria C Jockers-Scherübl Journal: Exp Neurol Date: 2007-02-21 Impact factor: 5.330
Authors: Nadia Solowij; Katy A Jones; Megan E Rozman; Sasha M Davis; Joseph Ciarrochi; Patrick C L Heaven; Nicole Pesa; Dan I Lubman; Murat Yücel Journal: Psychopharmacology (Berl) Date: 2011-09-21 Impact factor: 4.530
Authors: Nicole Pesa; Daniel F Hermens; Robert A Battisti; Manreena Kaur; Ian B Hickie; Nadia Solowij Journal: Psychopharmacology (Berl) Date: 2012-03-09 Impact factor: 4.530
Authors: Ian H Harding; Nadia Solowij; Ben J Harrison; Michael Takagi; Valentina Lorenzetti; Dan I Lubman; Marc L Seal; Christos Pantelis; Murat Yücel Journal: Neuropsychopharmacology Date: 2012-04-25 Impact factor: 7.853
Authors: Staci A Gruber; Mary Kathryn Dahlgren; Kelly A Sagar; Atilla Gönenc; William D S Killgore Journal: Neurosci Lett Date: 2012-01-24 Impact factor: 3.046
Authors: Leanne Tamm; Jeffery N Epstein; Krista M Lisdahl; Brooke Molina; Susan Tapert; Stephen P Hinshaw; L Eugene Arnold; Katerina Velanova; Howard Abikoff; James M Swanson Journal: Drug Alcohol Depend Date: 2013-08-11 Impact factor: 4.492
Authors: Alexander L Wallace; Kristin E Maple; Alicia T Barr; Krista M Lisdahl Journal: Psychopharmacology (Berl) Date: 2020-07-26 Impact factor: 4.530
Authors: Kaeli Zimmermann; Christina Walz; Raissa T Derckx; Keith M Kendrick; Bernd Weber; Bruce Dore; Kevin N Ochsner; René Hurlemann; Benjamin Becker Journal: Hum Brain Mapp Date: 2017-05-31 Impact factor: 5.038