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The acute and non-acute effects of cannabis on reward processing : A systematic review
Skumlien, Martine Langley, Christelle Lawn, Will Voon, Valerie Curran, H. Valerie Roiser, Jonathan P. Sahakian, Barbara J.
Skumlien, Martine
Langley, Christelle
Lawn, Will
Voon, Valerie
Curran, H. Valerie
Roiser, Jonathan P.
Sahakian, Barbara J.
Abstract
Cannabis use has historically been thought to cause amotivation, but the relationship between cannabis and apathy, anhedonia, and reward processing remains poorly characterised. In this systematic review, we evaluated whether cannabis exposure acutely and/or non-acutely was associated with altered reward processing using questionnaire, behavioural, or functional neuroimaging measures. Questionnaire studies demonstrated greater anhedonia in adolescent cannabis users, and some indication of greater apathy in young adult cannabis users. Behavioural studies yielded some evidence of reduced reward learning in adolescent cannabis users, though there were too few studies in this category for reliable conclusions. Finally, longitudinal and acute functional neuroimaging studies showed an association between cannabis and blunted neural responses to reward, which did not emerge consistently in cross-sectional studies. The current results suggest that cannabis use is associated with specific impairments in reward and motivation. Future large-scale, longitudinal studies which use multiple behavioural and neuroimaging measures of reward processing may further clarify the impact of cannabis use on motivational and reward processes, and neural networks.
Keywords
cannabis use, THC, reward processing, anhedonia, apathy, motivation, MID task
Date
2021
Type
Journal article
Journal
Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews
Book
Volume
130
Issue
Page Range
512-528
Article Number
ACU Department
School of Behavioural and Health Sciences
Faculty of Health Sciences
Faculty of Health Sciences
Relation URI
Source URL
Event URL
Open Access Status
License
All rights reserved
File Access
Controlled