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Effects of frequent marijuana use on brain tissue volume and composition
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Effects of frequent marijuana use on brain tissue volume and composition

Robert Block, Daniel OʼLeary, James Ehrhardt, Jean Augustinack, M Ghoneim, Stephan Arndt and James Hall
Neuroreport, Vol.11(3), pp.491-496
02/28/2000
DOI: 10.1097/00001756-200002280-00013
PMID: 10718301

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Abstract

To investigate CNS effects of frequent marijuana use, brain tissue volume and composition were measured using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in 18 current, frequent, young adult marijuana users and 13 comparable, non-using controls. Automated image analysis techniques were used to measure global and regional brain volumes, including, for most regions, separate measures of gray and white matter. The marijuana users showed no evidence of cerebral atrophy or global or regional changes in tissue volumes. Volumes of ventricular CSF were not higher in marijuana users than controls, but were, in fact, lower. There were no clinically significant abnormalities in any subjectʼs MRI. Sex differences were detected in several global volume measures.

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