As recreational marijuana use becomes legalized throughout the US, many people now wonder how marijuana affects the brain and whether or not it kills brain cells. Just as years of heavy alcohol, meth, and heroin use can cause some irreversible brain damage, prolonged marijuana abuse can affect the ability of brain cells to convey messages (also known as brain activity). Using marijuana can cause damage to brain cells that results in a number of concurrent symptoms throughout the body. At this time, scientists are not fully aware of the long-term effects of marijuana use on the brain.
Moreover, those who smoked marijuana throughout their adolescence, then stopped, did not regain their IQ points. Conversely, individuals who began using marijuana in their adulthood did not experience any IQ loss. Long-term cannabis users’ IQs declined by 5.5 points on average from childhood, and there were deficits in learning and processing speed compared to people that did not use cannabis. The more frequently an individual used cannabis, the greater the resulting cognitive impairment, suggesting a potential causative link. Researchers are still finding out more about the long-term impacts of marijuana use on the brain.
When to Seek Help for Cannabis Use Issues
Find rehab for yourself or a loved one by speaking with a treatment provider. Discover affordable rehab centers near you, offering easy access and convenience. People who drink, smoke cigarettes, or use marijuana from a young age are also more likely to do so later on in life. More studies need to be done to understand if this effect also applies to humans. Find your “sweet spot” to relieve your symptoms by adjusting the dosing quantity and time of use. By using the lowest effective dose, you can achieve the desired results, use less product, and avoid building tolerance.
General Health
Some studies link marijuana to cognitive decline, particularly in adolescents. Other studies show positive correlations between marijuana use in older adults and cognitive functioning. A health care professional can look at the amount and frequency of your marijuana use as well as the symptoms you’re experiencing and help you come up with a treatment plan.
- There are still a lot of unknowns surrounding how marijuana affects adolescent and adult brains.
- Therefore, exposure to THC as a child may cause changes in cognition and memory that can last for decades.
- Consider the potency of the strain you’re using and how the dosage and method of consumption may impact the strength of the side effects.
While the researchers controlled for differences in participant education levels, they didn’t rule out additional factors that may have contributed to cognitive decline. The researchers reported an association between ongoing marijuana use and cognitive decline. Through ongoing research, scientific understanding of cannabis and its effects on the brain is continually evolving. Stay updated with the latest findings does marijuana kill brain cells and consult your healthcare professionals to make informed decisions.
Does cannabis kill brain cells?
It is also worth noting that a subset of the study participants who used marijuana in adolescence had slightly better working memory scores than those who did not use marijuana. However, they found no evidence to suggest an association between marijuana use and cognitive processing or executive function. If you’re going to use marijuana — whether for recreational or medicinal purposes — it’s important to do everything you can to make it as safe as possible. Never drive, operate machinery, or engage in any tasks that require intense focus while under the influence of marijuana or another substance. For instance, a 2017 study reported that a low dose of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) restored age-related cognitive deficits in mice. However, cumulative exposure didn’t appear to affect processing speed or executive function.
New research on cannabis use and cognition in midlife
THC is the psychoactive compound in marijuana, or cannabis, that creates the ‘high’ effect. These short-term effects of marijuana use typically only occur in the 24 hours after use. They may be more intense immediately after use and then slowly dissipate. Yet other studies — including this 2015 study — report no significant differences between the brain shape and volume of daily marijuana users and non-users. A 2013 reply to the New Zealand study suggests that personality factors may play a role in both marijuana use and cognitive decline. The information in this article and any included images or charts are for educational purposes only.
- This because many studies track small samples of people over short periods.
- These receptors connect to nerves in the brain which govern memory, appetite, pain regulation, and mood.
- Studies examining marijuana’s effects on adolescent users report a variety of negative outcomes.
- If users decide to drive while high, they can endanger their lives and the lives of others.
- These changes were more prominent in adolescent users who started using marijuana at an early age.
- Never drive, operate machinery, or engage in any tasks that require intense focus while under the influence of marijuana or another substance.
Being aware of these effects can help you know what’s normal and what indicates problematic substance use that may require treatment. The CB1 receptors in the ECS are found on many brain cells, including astrocytes. Astrocytes play multiple positive roles, including maintaining the blood-brain barrier, providing nutrients to neurons, and regulating neurotransmitter function.
The connection between weed and Alzheimer’s disease is complicated, especially since they both can affect part of the brain responsible for memory. Before using cannabis to treat Alzheimer’s it’s important to untangle this complex relationship. There are treatment centers all over the country that are equipped to help those with a marijuana use disorder overcome the problem and begin recovery. If you or someone you know is suffering from a marijuana addiction, contact a treatment center today.
The FHE Health team is committed to providing accurate information that adheres to the highest standards of writing. If one of our articles is marked with a ‘reviewed for accuracy and expertise’ badge, it indicates that one or more members of our team of doctors and clinicians have reviewed the article further to ensure accuracy. This is part of our ongoing commitment to ensure FHE Health is trusted as a leader in mental health and addiction care.
Because CB1 receptors have multiple locations in the brain, side effects can be intense and harmful. Within this ECS network are two types of cannabinoid receptors, or “docking stations,” CB1 and CB2. CB1 receptors are found primarily in the brain and central nervous system, influencing appetite, memory, and pain.2 CB2 receptors are distributed throughout the body, like in the immune system, mediating inflammation and body temperature.
How Long Does It Take the Brain to Recover from Weed?
Next, the results suggest that marijuana use during adolescence may have an irreversible effect on adolescent brain development. The Cannabinoid type 1 and CB1 receptors are connected to the brain’s nerves that play a role in memory, mood, pain regulation, and appetite. Synthetic marijuana (spice/K2) comes from a man-made hallucinogenic substance that is normally sprayed onto plant materials to replicate and enhance the effects of organic marijuana. Synthetic marijuana is not safe for human consumption but has become increasingly popular in recent years. The toxic components of synthetic marijuana, or “fake weed”, can cause increased heart rate, vomiting, bleeding, and produces powerful mind-altering effects. The NIH has now enrolled 11,878 children between the ages of 9 and 10 and their families onto the ABCD study.
We do not receive any fee or commission dependent upon which treatment or provider a caller chooses. Cannabis—which can also be called marijuana —is the most commonly used federally illegal drug in the United States. If there are any concerns about content we have published, please reach out to us at The intensity and duration of these symptoms can largely depend on the strain and potency of the marijuana and the person’s tolerance.