Faculty Collaboration Database

Abnormal cerebellar morphometry in abstinent adolescent marijuana users. Psychiatry Res 2010 May 30;182(2):152-9

Date

04/24/2010

Pubmed ID

20413277

Pubmed Central ID

PMC2866789

DOI

10.1016/j.pscychresns.2009.12.004

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-77952675464 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   118 Citations

Abstract

Functional neuroimaging data from adults have, in general, revealed frontocerebellar dysfunction associated with acute and chronic marijuana (MJ) use. The goal of this study was to characterize cerebellar volume in adolescent chronic MJ users following 1 month of monitored abstinence. Participants were MJ users (n=16) and controls (n=16) aged 16-18 years. Extensive exclusionary criteria included history of psychiatric or neurologic disorders. Drug use history, neuropsychological data, and structural brain scans were collected after 28 days of monitored abstinence. Trained research staff defined cerebellar volumes (including three cerebellar vermis lobes and both cerebellar hemispheres) on high-resolution T1-weighted magnetic resonance images. Adolescent MJ users demonstrated significantly larger inferior posterior (lobules VIII-X) vermis volume than controls, above and beyond effects of lifetime alcohol and other drug use, gender, and intracranial volume. Larger vermis volumes were associated with poorer executive functioning. Following 1 month of abstinence, adolescent MJ users had significantly larger posterior cerebellar vermis volumes than non-using controls. These greater volumes are suggested to be pathological based on linkage to poorer executive functioning. Longitudinal studies are needed to examine typical cerebellar development during adolescence and the influence of marijuana use.

Author List

Medina KL, Nagel BJ, Tapert SF

Author

Krista Lisdahl PhD Assistant Professor in the Psychology department at University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adolescent
Analysis of Variance
Brain Mapping
Cerebellum
Executive Function
Female
Humans
Interview, Psychological
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Male
Marijuana Abuse
Neuropsychological Tests
Parents
Reading