A systematic review of 19 studies found that cannabis exposure in children and adolescents was associated with effects ranging from transient mood changes to permanent cognitive and sensory processing alterations that persisted into adulthood.
Pediatricians, adolescent medicine specialists, cannabis policy makers, parents
Effects range from transient mood changes to permanent cognitive alterations
What the researchers found
Across 19 included studies, cannabis exposure in youth was linked to a spectrum of CNS effects: transient mood alterations, lasting changes in cognitive function, and permanent sensory processing changes. Most studies were animal-based. The few human studies had limitations including small samples and study design constraints.
Why it matters
As cannabis legalization increases youth accessibility, understanding the neurocognitive impact during the critical brain development window of adolescence is essential for policy and clinical guidance.
The numbers in context
19 studies included; effects ranged from transient mood changes to permanent cognitive alterations; most studies were animal-based; few human studies had significant limitations.
How the study worked
Systematic review following 2020 PRISMA guidelines, searching PubMed, PMC, Medline, Cochrane, Internet Archive Scholar, and Embase-Elsevier. 19 research articles identified.
What this study cannot tell us
Most included studies were animal-based. Human studies had small samples and design limitations. Cannot standardize across different cannabis products and exposure patterns.
How to read the evidence
Systematic review with appropriate methodology, but limited by predominantly animal data and few human studies with small samples.
When this study was published
2024 publication
The bigger picture
The adolescent brain undergoes critical white matter development and gray matter pruning. This review consolidates evidence that cannabis exposure during this window can have lasting consequences, though the human evidence base remains thin.
Questions still open
- At what age threshold does cannabis exposure become less neurodevelopmentally risky?
- Which specific cognitive domains are most vulnerable to adolescent cannabis exposure?
Common questions
Does cannabis affect the developing brain?
Are the cognitive effects of cannabis in youth permanent?
Read the original research
Neurocognitive Impact of Exposure to Cannabis Concentrates and Cannabinoids Including Vaping in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review.
Cureus, 16(1), e52362
Citation
Saavedra, Michell S; Thota, Priyanka; Peresuodei, Tariladei S; Gill, Abhishek; Orji, Chijioke; Reghefaoui, Maiss; Khan, Safeera. (2024). Neurocognitive Impact of Exposure to Cannabis Concentrates and Cannabinoids Including Vaping in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review.. Cureus, 16(1), e52362. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.52362
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