A recent article in The Journal of Neuroscience suggested that even use of small amounts of marijuana can lead to brain changes. Researchers at Northwestern University and Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School used MRIs to compare brains of 18-25 year olds. They compared those who used marijuana at least once a week with those who had little or no history of use.
The results were that the nucleus accumbens and the amygdala were larger and altered in shape. These brain regions are involved in motivation, attention, learning and memory. The study also found that the more marijuana consumed the greater the abnormalities in these two regions. Most prior studies involved individuals addicted to marijuana not the casual smoker.
(Did You Know? Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the U.S with an estimated 18.9 million users according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Mental Health. )Â
From ScienceDaily
