Cognitive test performance in chronic cannabis flower users, concentrate users, and non-users

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Increasing availability and popularity of high-potency cannabis concentrates.
• Prior research suggests perceived greater detrimental effects of concentrates versus flower.
• Limited objective studies comparing cognitive effects of cannabis flower and concentrate use.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare cognitive test performance among non-users, exclusive cannabis flower users, and exclusive cannabis concentrate users.
• To investigate objective cognitive differences between users of different cannabis product types under sober conditions.

Main Methods:

• 198 healthy adults (98 non-users, 46 flower users, 54 concentrate users) participated.
• Administered a battery of cognitive tests assessing memory, psychomotor speed, attention, and executive functioning.
• Tests were conducted under controlled, sober laboratory conditions.

Main Results:

• Both flower and concentrate users performed worse than non-users on verbal free recall and episodic prospective memory.
• Concentrate users, but not flower users, showed worse performance than non-users on source memory.
• No significant cognitive differences were found between exclusive flower users and concentrate users.

Conclusions:

• Regular cannabis concentrate users do not exhibit greater cognitive impairment than exclusive flower users when sober.
• Observed null findings may be attributed to self-titration and lower quantity use of concentrates compared to flower.
• Cognitive effects are comparable between high-potency cannabis concentrate and flower users, challenging perceptions of greater harm from concentrates.