Cited by 867Cannabis and Cannabinoid ResearchSchizophrenia research and treatmentPsychedelics and Drug Studies

Effects of Cannabis Use on Human Behavior, Including Cognition, Motivation, and Psychosis: A Review

Open access
Volkow, Nora D., Swanson, James M., Evins, A. Eden, DeLisi, Lynn E., Meier, Madeline H., Gonzalez, Raul, Bloomfield, Michael A. P., Curran, H. Valerie +1 more·2016·JAMA Psychiatry

Abstract

With a political debate about the potential risks and benefits of cannabis use as a backdrop, the wave of legalization and liberalization initiatives continues to spread. Four states (Colorado, Washington, Oregon, and Alaska) and the District of Columbia have passed laws that legalized cannabis for recreational use by adults, and 23 others plus the District of Columbia now regulate cannabis use for medical purposes. These policy changes could trigger a broad range of unintended consequences, with profound and lasting implications for the health and social systems in our country. Cannabis use is emerging as one among many interacting factors that can affect brain development and mental function. To inform the political discourse with scientific evidence, the literature was reviewed to identify what is known and not known about the effects of cannabis use on human behavior, including cognition, motivation, and psychosis.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2015.3278

Cites

77 of 77 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • Cannabis use reduction in motivation manifests as reduced motivation to engage in everyday activities such as diminished desire to study or work, engage in social or recreational activities in frequent cannabis users.

    “It manifests as a reduce motivation to engage in everyday activities such as a diminished desire to study or work, engage in social or recreational activities people who use cannabis frequently [32].”
  • Chronic cannabis users have smaller volumes of the hippocampus, a brain area implicated in stress, learning and memory.

    “Specifically, chronic cannabis users have smaller volumes of the orbitofrontal cortex, a brain region implicated in motivation, and the hippocampus, a brain area implicated in stress, learning and memory [32].”
  • Cannabis users and people intoxicated with THC had altered function in the same regions and in brain striatal areas implicated in reward processing.

    “Cannabis users and people intoxicated with THC had altered function in the same regions and in brain striatal areas implicated in reward processing.”
  • Chronic cannabis users have smaller volumes of the orbitofrontal cortex, a brain region implicated in motivation.

    “Specifically, chronic cannabis users have smaller volumes of the orbitofrontal cortex, a brain region implicated in motivation, and the hippocampus, a brain area implicated in stress, learning and memory [32].”

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Authors
Volkow, N. D., Swanson, J. M., Evins, A. E., DeLisi, L. E., Meier, M. H., Gonzalez, R., Bloomfield, M. A. P., Curran, H. V., & Baler, R.
Affiliations
  • National Institutes of Health (US)
  • University of California, Irvine (US)
  • Harvard University (US)
  • Arizona State University (US)
  • Center for Children and Families, Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami
  • Hammersmith Hospital (GB)
  • University College London (GB)
  • National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
Venue
JAMA Psychiatry
Published
2016-03-01
Volume
73
Issue
3
Pages
292
ISSN
2168-622X (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2264173627
Cited by
867
References
77
Citations by year
2026: 46 · 2025: 85 · 2024: 64 · 2023: 85 · 2022: 81 · 2021: 87 · 2020: 105 · 2019: 102 · 2018: 97 · 2017: 74 · 2016: 40
FWCI
84.45
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • JAMA Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
  • Research Bank (Australian Catholic University) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • FORUM Pharmaceuticals
  • National Institute for Health and Care Research (CL-2015-18-005, ACF-2014-18-010)
  • British Medical Association
  • National Institutes of Health
  • Medical Research Council (MR/K015524/1)
  • National Institute on Drug Abuse (R01DA021576, R01DA021245, R01DA030992)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Schizophrenia research and treatment
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychedelics and Drug Studies
Keywords
cannabis use, recreational cannabis legalization, medical cannabis, cognition, motivation, psychosis, brain development, mental health, cannabis policy
MeSH terms
Adult, Behavior, Cannabis, Marijuana Abuse, Cognition, Humans, Legislation, Drug, Motivation, Psychoses, Substance-Induced, United States

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