Cannabis Abusers Show Hypofrontality and Blunted Brain Responses to a Stimulant Challenge in Females but not in Males.

ABSTRACT: The extent to which cannabis is deleterious to the human brain is not well understood. Here, we test whether cannabis abusers (CA) have impaired frontal function and reactivity to dopaminergic signaling, which are fundamental to relapse in addiction. We measured brain glucose metabolism using PET and [(18)F]FDG both at baseline (placebo) and after challenge with methylphenidate (MP), a dopamine-enhancing drug, in 24 active CA (50% female) and 24 controls (HC; 50% female). Results show that (i) CA had lower baseline glucose metabolism than HC in frontal cortex including anterior cingulate, which was associated with negative emotionality. (ii) MP increased whole-brain glucose metabolism in HC but not in CA; and group by challenge effects were most profound in putamen, caudate, midbrain, thal

SUBMITTER: Wiers CE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4987858 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature