Could Cannabis Be The Key To Preventing Cognitive Decline? Here’s What A Groundbreaking Study Has To Say
Cognitive decline is the gradual decrease in mental functioning as we get older.
It affects many significant cognitive tasks that we use on a daily basis, such as reasoning, processing, attention, and memory. The rate at which these functions decrease in efficiency, and severity, vary from one person to another, though it’s inevitable that everyone will be affected at some point.
Cognitive decline occurs due to the many biological changes that happen in the body as a result of aging, particularly in the brain where neurons also age. This leads to slower processing times as we struggle to process new information. In addition, hormonal changes caused by aging also impact brain function. Other factors, such as free radical accumulation, oxidative stress, and reduced blow flow to the brain, as well as many others, affect brain cells. Not to mention lifestyle and medical factors, which can also speed up cognitive decline: chronic conditions such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure, obesity, vitamin deficiencies, and mental health issues all contribute to cognitive decline.
This is the reason why we lose our independence as we get older. The thought can be scary.
But did you know that, alongside living a healthy lifestyle from a young age, cannabis consumption can help?
The Role Cannabis Plays In Preventing Cognitive Decline
A groundbreaking, large study whose results were published last year analyzed more than 5,000 men in Denmark for over 40 years to examine the long-term effects of marijuana consumption. The study was also supported through data provided by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and led by a public health scientist, Kristine Maarup Høeg.
Military intelligence tests were utilized to measure cognitive function at two different periods: early adulthood, then again in late midlife. It was interesting to find that the men with a history of cannabis consumption displayed less cognitive decline when they were studied at both points in life, compared to those men who didn’t use cannabis. The investigators took into account different health and lifestyle factors, which may affect IQ scores, such as tobacco smoking, binge drinking, and education level yet the findings were the same: cannabis users showed less cognitive decline compared to non-users.
The researchers also discovered there was no association between the frequency of cannabis use, with the age of their first consumption. These factors also did not lead to more cognitive decline, which dispels the theories that early cannabis use speeds up cognitive decline.
“Among cannabis users, no significant association was found with cognitive decline for either age of initiation of cannabis use or frequent cannabis use,” explains one of the study’s authors.
“Further studies are needed to investigate whether these findings reflect that there are no adverse effects on cognitive decline or that the effects of cannabis are temporary and disappear after a prolonged period of time,” the authors said.
Similar Studies
Meanwhile, a study conducted by researchers at the University of California at San Diego analyzed the long-term effects of marijuana use on cognition among 297 older individuals with HIV. The cohort included frequent marijuana users (consumed several times a week), occasional consumers (once a week or less), and non-users.
According to the findings, the individuals who historically consumed cannabis occasionally had the best results. They also added that frequent marijuana consumption was not linked to a decrease in cognitive performance during the trial.
“In a longitudinal, well-characterized cohort of older adults with HIV, we found that occasional cannabis use in later-life was associated with better overall global cognition compared to no cannabis use, a potentially important finding given this population’s increased vulnerability to cognitive impairment,” the authors wrote.
Another study from researchers at the University of Colorado at Boulder analyzed the effects of marijuana consumption on cognitive function, working memory, and executive function among 856 individual twins. Marijuana users were analyzed side-by-side to their non-consuming twins during the late adolescent years, then it was analayzed again in the early 20’s. A majority of the cannabis users in the study admitted to occasional, but not daily use of marijuana.
The study’s authors found “little support for a causal effect of cannabis on cognition. This conclusion is consistent with those from previous twin studies, which suggest that cannabis use does not cause a decline in cognitive ability among a normative cannabis using sample,” they wrote.”
“Cannabis Causes Your Brain To Rot”: Wrong!
For decades since the 1930’s, the War on Drugs tried to brainwash people into thinking that cannabis use causes your brain to “rot”, and other silly myths with zero scientific evidence. These misinformed claims, and many more surrounding the dangerous effects of cannabis on one’s brain, were unfounded. This is nothing more than the propaganda spread by the War on Drugs.
That said, it only applies to youth and teen cannabis use. Young children with developing brains shouldn’t be exposed to drugs – and that’s something we can all agree on. However, using cannabis responsibly in early adulthood, and even in one’s senior years, can even be beneficial and protective for brain health.
In fact, cannabis is neuroprotective for the brain! There are many studies proving the anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties of marijuana for the brain. It’s the opposite of what fear-mongers and prohibitionists have been campaigning all these decades.
Conclusion
Marijuana cannabinoids, particularly THC and CBD, have proven that they can be beneficial and protective for the brain. Despite being fed misinformation for many decades about how cannabis leads to cognitive decline, lower IQ, and brain rot, this is simply not true. Even individuals in their senior years are able to enjoy marijuana responsibly and safely without worrying about it affecting their cognitive function.
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