Assessment of frontal lobe functions in a sample of male cannabis users currently in abstinence: correlations with duration of use and their functional outcomes

Background: Previous research literature reported different results regarding the long-term effects that cannabis use can exert on the frontal lobe neurocognitive functions of its users. Another body of research suggested that cannabis use negatively affects the person's general level of occupational and psychosocial functioning consequently to these alterations. Some other research results did not support these findings. To date, it is still debatable whether chronic cannabis use triggers negative neurocognitive effects in chronic users even after a period of abstinence. Research data exploring consequent adverse outcomes on the general individual occupational and psychosocial functioning is not yet conclusive.

Results: We conducted this study to examine the residual neurocognitive effects of cannabis use, whether it is affected by duration of cannabis use before abstinence, and its relation to individual's global assessment of functioning exhibited in the person's occupational and social life whether it's family or friends. Our sample comprised 80 male participants (18-45 years old) who were grouped into 4 groups (3 groups with different durations of use and a control group), with no significant difference between the four studied groups regarding age, education, and socioeconomic level. The Kruskal Wallis test was used to test the significance of differences in the distribution of total frontal lobe battery results and the general assessment of function scores using GAF scores between study groups. Post hoc testing was performed to adjust for multiple comparisons using Bonferroni method.

Conclusion: Data analysis showed that cannabis users experienced general functional disturbances that encompass impairments in social and occupational life aspects. These impairments in function are correlated with the presence of neurocognitive deficits even after a period of abstinence. Both having significant positive correlation with longer duration of cannabis use.