Marijuana Use Was Linked to Inattention in Men and Poor Sleep in Women With ADHD | Research

The takeaway

Among adults with ADHD, marijuana use correlated with worse inattention symptoms in men and worse sleep quality in women, suggesting sex-specific patterns of use or impact.

Read this if you have ADHD and use cannabis, especially if you notice effects on attention or sleep.

Sex-specific correlations: inattention in men, sleep problems in women

What the researchers found

Fifty-six men and 20 women with ADHD (ages 18-45) were assessed for marijuana use, ADHD symptoms, and sleep quality. Moderate to strong correlations emerged between marijuana use and inattentive symptoms in men, and between marijuana use and decreased sleep quality in women.

The authors suggested that men and women with ADHD may use marijuana for different reasons. Men may use it in ways that worsen attention, while women's use patterns may particularly disrupt sleep architecture.

Why it matters

ADHD and cannabis use frequently co-occur, and this study suggests the consequences may differ by sex. Understanding these sex-specific patterns could help clinicians tailor advice and treatment for ADHD patients who use cannabis.

The numbers in context

56 men, 20 women with ADHD. Ages 18-45. Moderate-strong correlation: marijuana use and inattention (men). Moderate-strong correlation: marijuana use and poor sleep quality (women).

How the study worked

Cross-sectional study of 56 men and 20 women with ADHD, ages 18-45. Assessment of Hyperactivity and Attention for ADHD symptoms, drug use survey for marijuana use, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index for sleep. Correlational analyses.

What this study cannot tell us

Very small sample, especially women (n=20). Cross-sectional design cannot determine causation. People with worse ADHD symptoms may use more marijuana, rather than marijuana worsening symptoms. No control group without ADHD. Self-reported marijuana use.

How to read the evidence

Small cross-sectional study; preliminary evidence for sex-specific patterns.

When this study was published

Published in 2013. Research on cannabis and ADHD has expanded, with interest in sex differences growing.

The bigger picture

Many adults with ADHD self-medicate with cannabis, but this study suggests the effects may not be uniformly beneficial. The sex-specific pattern adds to growing evidence that cannabis affects men and women differently across multiple domains.

Questions still open

Do men with ADHD use cannabis for different reasons than women? Does cannabis worsen ADHD symptoms or do people with worse symptoms use more? Would controlling cannabis use improve ADHD outcomes differently by sex?

Common questions

Does cannabis help or hurt ADHD?

This small study suggests the answer may depend on sex. In men with ADHD, marijuana use was associated with worse inattention. In women, it was associated with worse sleep quality. The study cannot determine whether cannabis caused these problems or whether people with worse symptoms used more cannabis, but it does not support the idea that cannabis uniformly helps ADHD symptoms.

Why would cannabis affect men and women with ADHD differently?

The reasons are not clear from this study. Possibilities include different motivations for use (self-medicating different symptoms), different biological responses to cannabis, different patterns or amounts of use, and hormonal influences on how cannabis is processed. This is an area that needs more research.

Read the original research

Marijuana use is associated with inattention in men and sleep quality in women with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: a preliminary study.

Psychiatry research, 210(3), 1310-2

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

Ly, Christine; Gehricke, Jean-G. (2013). Marijuana use is associated with inattention in men and sleep quality in women with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: a preliminary study.. Psychiatry research, 210(3), 1310-2. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2013.08.003