The association between cannabis use and brain reward anticipation: a 12-month longitudinal study of adults and adolescents who use cannabis and age-matched controls

A longitudinal fMRI investigation examining how regular cannabis use influences neural responses to non-drug rewards across adolescent and adult populations.

Authors: Martine Skumlien, Simiao Wang, Tom P. Freeman, Molly Eddison, Kat Petrilli, Matthew B. Wall, Claire Mokrysz, H. Valerie Curran, Will Lawn

Cannabis use has been associated with changes in the brain’s reward system, but longitudinal evidence has been limited. In this 12-month fMRI study, researchers examined reward anticipation activity in adolescents and adults who regularly use cannabis compared with age-matched controls using the Monetary Incentive Delay task.
Results showed that individuals who use cannabis exhibited reduced activity over time in the ventral striatum, a key region involved in reward processing. These findings suggest that regular cannabis use may be associated with diminished neural responses to non-drug rewards, providing new insight into the neurobiological mechanisms underlying substance use.

Why read this article

• First longitudinal comparison of adolescents and adults who use cannabis

  Provides rare prospective neuroimaging data examining how cannabis use influences reward processing across different developmental stages.
• Demonstrates changes in the brain’s reward circuitry

  Shows reduced ventral striatal activation associated with cannabis use, a key region involved in motivation and reward anticipation.
• Uses robust neuroimaging methodology
  
Combines longitudinal fMRI with the widely used Monetary Incentive Delay task to quantify neural responses to anticipated rewards.
• Improves understanding of addiction neurobiology
  
Offers insight into how substance use may alter neural responses to non-drug rewards, a mechanism linked to addictive behavior.
• Informs future research and public health messaging

  Findings may help guide prevention strategies and improve understanding of how cannabis use affects brain function over time.

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