How does using hemp actually impact users' brain health?KERA's Ron Corning speaks with Francesca Filbey, PhD, psychology professor and Bert Moore Chair at Center for BrainHealth, part of The University of Texas at Dallas.
Overview
Dr. Filbey emphasizes the need for research into the critical effects of cannabis use on the prefrontal cortex, including decision-making and executive function. Much like alcohol, cannabis disrupts deep sleep, affecting holistic brain function and memory, with research showing a correlation between cannabis usage and significant impairments to visual memory.3 Takeaways from This Conversation
1. Before age 25, cannabis use can interrupt essential pathways of brain development.“”
"We can see it's impact because it's part of the reward system, which cannabis targets," she said. "It impairs decision-making and executive planning."
2. Cannabis doesn’t boost sleep quality the way most people expect. “”
"Similarly to alcohol, cannabis use before bed shortens the duration of deep sleep and can sometimes impair your memory," she said.
3. Research on how cannabis impacts the brain is ongoing and not yet conclusive. “”
Filbey and her team are hoping the rescheduling of cannabis could allow them to actually look at the potential medical risks and benefits more directly, rather than through observational studies. "Because they don't have good, scientific evidence to help inform how to prescribe the drug, like dosing for example," she said. "Then trying to balance that with the needs of their patients, it puts them in a difficult place. So we just need to know more."
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