Cognitive performance in a placebo-controlled pharmacotherapy trial for youth with marijuana dependence.

BACKGROUND

Adolescent marijuana use is associated with neurocognitive impairment, but further work is needed to assess the relationship between treatment-associated abstinence and cognitive performance.

METHODS

This secondary analysis, conducted in the context of a marijuana cessation pharmacotherapy trial in adolescents, examined cognitive performance at baseline and at two time points during treatment using the CNS Vital Signs assessment battery.

RESULTS

Abstinence from marijuana, relative to continued use, as assessed via urine cannabinoid testing, was associated with significant improvement in composite memory (p<0.001), verbal memory (the most impacted component of composite memory) (p<0.001), and psychomotor performance (p=0.045) scores.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that some domains of cognitive performance improve significantly even in the early stages of treatment-associated abstinence.