Cerebellar activity and disturbed time sense after THC.

Because marijuana continues to be the most commonly used illicit drug, its effects on the brain function are of major interest. We utilized positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to study the effects of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) infusion on brain blood flow and its behavioral correlates in 46 volunteers. Consistent with previous reports, there was a significant increase in cortical and cerebellar blood flow following THC, but not all subjects showed this effect. Those who showed a decrease in cerebellar CBF also had a significant alteration in time sense. The relationship between decreased cerebellar flow and impaired time sense is of interest because the cerebellum has been linked to an internal timing system. Copyright 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.