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Updated: May 18, 2026
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Brain Morphology of Cannabis Users With or Without Psychosis: A Pilot MRI Study
Published on: August 18, 2020
Individual differences in decision making and reward processing predict changes in cannabis use: a prospective
Janna Cousijn1, Reinout W Wiers, K Richard Ridderinkhof
1ADAPT-lab, Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Amsterdam Institute for Addiction Research, Department of Psychiatry, Academic Medical Centre, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Addiction Biology
|September 22, 2012
Summary
Heavy cannabis users show altered brain activity during decision-making tasks. This neural difference, particularly a bias toward immediate rewards, predicts increased future cannabis use and problem severity, highlighting executive function
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Addiction Research
Background:
- Decision-making deficits are linked to substance use disorders.
- Individual differences in decision-making and neurocircuitry may predict substance use trajectory.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate the predictive value of decision-making and its neural mechanisms for future cannabis use and problem severity in heavy cannabis users.
Main Methods:
- Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) compared brain activity during a monetary decision-making task (Iowa Gambling Task) in 32 heavy cannabis users and 41 controls.
- Examined associations between brain activation, baseline cannabis use/problems, and 6-month changes in use/problems within the user group.
Main Results:
- Heavy cannabis users exhibited higher activation during wins in decision-making areas compared to controls, despite similar task performance.
- Win-related activity and anticipation of loss outcomes in executive function areas predicted changes in cannabis use over 6 months.
- A bias towards immediate rewards predicted increased drug use, indicating an imbalance between motivational and regulatory processes.
Conclusions:
- Abnormal processing of motivational information is evident in heavy cannabis users.
- Executive functions and motivational processes play a crucial role in the development and persistence of substance use disorders.
- Targeting the balance between immediate reward seeking and executive control may be key for treating substance use disorders.
