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Published on: August 1, 2025
Cue reactivity in cannabis-dependent adolescents
Lisa D Nickerson1, Caitlin Ravichandran, Leslie H Lundahl
1Brain Imaging Center, McLean Hospital, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA 02478-9106, USA. lisa_nickerson@hms.harvard.edu
Summary
Adolescents with cannabis dependence show heightened brain responses to marijuana cues after handling paraphernalia. This attentional bias to marijuana stimuli increases with exposure, impacting neural correlates of drug cue reactivity.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Adolescent Psychology
- Addiction Research
Background:
- Understanding the neural mechanisms of drug cue reactivity is crucial for adolescent cannabis dependence treatment.
- Previous research indicates attentional biases towards drug cues in substance-dependent individuals.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the neural correlates of drug cue reactivity in adolescents with cannabis dependence.
- To examine how handling marijuana paraphernalia affects attentional bias and craving.
Main Methods:
- Event-related potentials (P300) were measured in 13 cannabis-dependent adolescents (ages 14-17).
- Participants viewed marijuana (MJ) and control pictures after handling neutral objects and MJ paraphernalia (MJP).
- Self-reported craving and heart rates were also recorded.
Main Results:
- Marijuana pictures elicited larger P300 responses (MJ-P300) than control pictures (C-P300).
- Handling MJP significantly increased both MJ-P300 and self-reported craving.
- No significant association was found between craving magnitude and MJ-P300 amplitude.
Conclusions:
- Adolescents with cannabis dependence exhibit an attentional bias towards marijuana stimuli.
- Exposure to marijuana paraphernalia enhances this attentional bias and craving.
- Findings align with adult cannabis smoker research but suggest unique aspects in adolescents.
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