Neuroscience 2001 Abstract
| Presentation Number: | 685.9 |
|---|---|
| Abstract Title: | MARIJUANA EFFECTS ON ATTENTION AND rCBF. |
| Authors: |
O'Leary, D. S.*1
; Block, R. I.2
; Flaum, M.1
; Schultz, S. K.1
; Boles Ponto, L. L.3
; Watkins, G. L.3
; Hichwa, R. D.3
1Psychiatry, U of I , Iowa City, IA 2Anesthesiology, U of I, Iowa City, IA 3PET Imaging Center, U of I, Iowa City, IA |
| Primary Theme and Topics |
Neurological and Psychiatric Conditions - Addiction and Drugs of Abuse -- Opioids and others |
| Secondary Theme and Topics | Cognition and Behavior<br />- Human Cognition and Behavior<br />-- Attention |
| Session: |
685. Addiction and drugs of abuse: opioids and others III Slide |
| Presentation Time: | Wednesday, November 14, 2001 10:00 AM-10:15 AM |
| Location: | Room 30E |
| Keywords: |
We previously assessed rCBF following smoking of marijuana and placebo as subjects repeatedly performed the same cognitive task. The task provided a stable cognitive baseline but did not allow assessment of direct vs task-related effects of marijuana. The present doubly-blinded study used PET with [O-15]water to measure rCBF in 12 volunteers who smoked marijuana or placebo cigarettes on 2 occasions at least a week apart. On each occasion subjects were imaged after smoking a marijuana (~20 mg THC) or placebo cigarette while performing 3 auditory tasks; a baseline RT task (also presented before smoking), and dichotic listening tasks with attend-right and attend-left ear instructions. As in our previous studies, smoking marijuana resulted in intoxication (self report), increased rCBF in orbital frontal cortex, anterior cingulate, temporal pole, insula, and cerebellum, and reduced rCBF in auditory and visual cortices. These changes occurred in all 3 tasks and appear to be direct effects of marijuana on rCBF. Task-related activation during the dichotic tasks was reduced in the superior temporal gyri (STG) after smoking marijuana vs placebo. But smoking marijuana did not significantly change behavioral performance and did not alter the normal pattern of attention-related rCBF asymmetry (i.e., greater rCBF in the temporal lobe contralateral to the direction of attention). These data suggest that marijuana may result in large changes in rCBF due to its intoxicating and mood effects while causing relatively little change in the pattern of task-related rCBF. Investigation of marijuana’s effects on other tasks will be important.
Supported by DA10551 & MHCRC43271
Sample Citation:
[Authors]. [Abstract Title]. Program No. XXX.XX. 2001 Neuroscience Meeting Planner. San Diego, CA: Society for Neuroscience, 2001. Online.
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