Young Cannabis Users Show Different Brain Activation Patterns When Making Decisions Under Social Pressure
Young adult cannabis users showed unique activation patterns in the striatum during a social influence task, with reward-region activity when following group choices correlating with the amount of cannabis used.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Twenty young adult cannabis users and 20 non-users completed a decision-making task while undergoing brain scans. The task measured how viewing other people's choices affected their own decisions.
Cannabis users showed activation in the middle striatum (caudate) when applying social information to their choices, an activation pattern not seen in controls. When cannabis users followed the group's choices rather than going against them, they showed greater activation in the nucleus accumbens, a key reward region. This reward-region activation correlated with the amount of drug use reported.
During the feedback phase of the task, both groups showed nucleus accumbens activation, but cannabis users additionally showed dorsal caudate activation that controls did not.
Key Numbers
Twenty cannabis users vs. 20 controls, ages 18-25. Nucleus accumbens activation during group-congruent choices correlated with amount of drug use. Cannabis users but not controls showed caudate activation when processing social information and during feedback.
How They Did This
Cross-sectional fMRI study comparing 20 marijuana-using young adults (ages 18-25) with 20 age-matched controls. Participants completed a decision-making task where they could follow or go against group influence while undergoing functional MRI. A priori analyses focused on the nucleus accumbens, with additional analyses across the striatum.
Why This Research Matters
Social influence is one of the strongest predictors of drug use initiation and maintenance, yet the brain mechanisms underlying social influence in drug users are poorly understood. This study suggests that cannabis users may find following peer influence more rewarding, which could reinforce continued use in social contexts.
The Bigger Picture
This research connects two well-established findings: the role of social influence in drug use and the involvement of the brain's reward system in addiction. The fact that following social influence activated reward regions specifically in cannabis users suggests a neural mechanism by which peer pressure may maintain cannabis use.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Cross-sectional design cannot determine whether brain differences preceded cannabis use or resulted from it. Small sample size limits statistical power. Unknown whether peers in the task were perceived as relevant by participants. Cannabis use was self-reported.
Questions This Raises
- ?Do these brain activation differences exist before cannabis use begins, making some people more susceptible to social influence?
- ?Would these patterns change if participants stopped using cannabis?
- ?Does the intensity of social influence activation predict future drug use?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Reward-region activation when following peers correlated with cannabis use amount
- Evidence Grade:
- Well-designed fMRI study with appropriate controls and a priori analyses, but small sample size and cross-sectional design limit conclusions.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2016. Neuroimaging methods and our understanding of social neuroscience have continued to advance.
- Original Title:
- Variable activation in striatal subregions across components of a social influence task in young adult cannabis users.
- Published In:
- Brain and behavior, 6(5), e00459 (2016)
- Authors:
- Gilman, Jodi M(10), Lee, Sang, Kuster, John K, Lee, Myung Joo, Kim, Byoung Woo, van der Kouwe, Andre, Blood, Anne J, Breiter, Hans C
- Database ID:
- RTHC-01164
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Does cannabis make you more susceptible to peer pressure?
This study cannot answer that directly, but it found that cannabis users showed greater reward-brain activation when following peer choices, and this activation correlated with use amount. Whether this is a cause or consequence of use remains unknown.
Why does this matter for young people?
Social influence is one of the strongest predictors of drug use initiation. Understanding that cannabis users may find conforming to peers more neurologically rewarding could inform prevention programs targeting social influences.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-01164APA
Gilman, Jodi M; Lee, Sang; Kuster, John K; Lee, Myung Joo; Kim, Byoung Woo; van der Kouwe, Andre; Blood, Anne J; Breiter, Hans C. (2016). Variable activation in striatal subregions across components of a social influence task in young adult cannabis users.. Brain and behavior, 6(5), e00459. https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.459
MLA
Gilman, Jodi M, et al. "Variable activation in striatal subregions across components of a social influence task in young adult cannabis users.." Brain and behavior, 2016. https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.459
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Variable activation in striatal subregions across components..." RTHC-01164. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/gilman-2016-variable-activation-in-striatal
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.