Cannabis use and cognitive function in first episode XXXX : differential effect of heavy use.

@entity1 @entity161 @entity716 @entity835
RATIONALE: First episode @entity1 and @entity1 with @entity161 exhibit increased rates of @entity835 use compared to the general population. Contrary to what has been reported in studies with healthy @entity1 , most of the published studies so far have reported no impairments or even beneficial effects on neurocognition associated with @entity835 consumption in @entity716 @entity1 . However, these studies did not address the effects of very high @entity835 consumption. OBJECTIVES: Our aim in this study was to assess the effects on neurocognition of medium and heavy @entity835 consumption in first @entity716 @entity1 . METHODS: A total of 74 @entity1 were included in the study and assigned to three different groups according to their mean @entity835 consumption during the last year (non-users, medium users, and heavy users). @entity1 were administered verbal memory and other neurocognitive tasks. RESULTS: Heavy @entity835 users were significantly impaired in all the verbal memory measures with respect to non-users, including immediate (p   =   .026), short-term (p   =   .005), and long-term (p   =   .002) memory. There were no significant differences between medium and non-users. Moreover, non-users performed better than all @entity835 users in the arithmetic task (p   =   .020). Heavy @entity835 consumption was associated with more commission errors in the continuous performance task (CPT) (p   =   .008) and more time to complete trail making test A (TMT-A) (p   =   .008), compared to the group of medium users. CONCLUSIONS: Heavy @entity835 consumption seems to impair verbal memory in first @entity716 @entity1 . Heavy users also perform worse than medium users in other neurocognitive tasks. Based on the results and the available evidence, a dose-related effect of @entity835 consumption is suggested.
