Re: Marijuana again tied to memory problems

[Guest guest]

I just posted this for anyone who may have forgotten about it...

http://news./s/nm/20060314/od_nm/marijuana_memory1_dc;_ylt=A

nsQFWxX.UWQrsdiFHJT8.oSH9EA;_ylu=X3oDMTA5aHJvMDdwBHNlYwN5bmNhdA--

Marijuana again tied to memory problems

By Amy Norton

Tue Mar 14, 9:41 AM ET

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People who regularly smoke marijuana may

find their memories growing hazy over time, a study published Monday

suggests.

[Guest guest]

While on the subject of warning against substances, a HUGE number of regular

medicines have that side-effect too.

I only found out recently that the sleeping-pills my doc gave me when I

suffered from insomnia some years ago had memory loss as a common side

effect. :-(

Inger

Marijuana again tied to memory problems

http://news./s/nm/20060314/od_nm/marijuana_memory1_dc;_ylt=A

nsQFWxX.UWQrsdiFHJT8.oSH9EA;_ylu=X3oDMTA5aHJvMDdwBHNlYwN5bmNhdA--

Marijuana again tied to memory problems

By Amy Norton

Tue Mar 14, 9:41 AM ET

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People who regularly smoke marijuana may

find their memories growing hazy over time, a study published Monday

suggests.

In a study of long-term and shorter-term marijuana users,

researchers in Greece found that both groups performed more poorly

on tests of memory, attention and other cognitive abilities than a

comparison group who'd only occasionally used the drug.

Long-term users - who'd smoked four or more joints per week for at

least 10 years - showed the greatest deficits.

The findings, published in the journal Neurology, add to the

conflicting body of research on the effects of marijuana on the

brain. While many studies have suggested that long-time pot smoking

dulls memory, attention span and mental acuity, some have found no

large differences in these skills between marijuana users and non-

users.

One recent analysis of 15 studies found only minor effects on memory

among long-time pot users, and no clear effect on attention,

language, reasoning and a number of other cognitive functions.

One problem is that it's difficult for studies such as the current

one to establish a definite cause-and-effect relationship between

marijuana and intellectual deficits, Dr. Lambros Messinis, the

study's lead author, told Reuters Health.

Though the researchers accounted for a number of variables -- like

education, use of other drugs and the presence of clinical

depression -- it's tough to control for all the factors that could

make heavy marijuana users different from other people, according to

Messinis.

Still, he and his colleagues say, their findings are in line with

certain past studies linking heavy, long-term pot smoking

to " subtle " deficits in intellectual abilities.

The study included 40 marijuana users ages 17 to 49 who were in a

drug abuse treatment program; all had used the drug frequently for

at least five years, but half -- those considered long-term users --

had smoked for 10 years or more. They were compared with 24 adults

the same age who had used pot no more than 20 times in their lives.

Overall, both long- and shorter-term marijuana users performed more

poorly on tests of memory, attention and mental-processing speed.

The proportion of study participants deemed " impaired, " according to

the researchers, was highest in the long-term group and lowest in

the comparison group.

Long-time pot users showed the greatest problems on tests where they

were asked to learn and remember a series of words. They

were " significantly " below the published norms for these tests,

according to Messinis and his colleagues.

It's not yet clear whether the intellectual deficits linked to

marijuana are lasting, Messinis said, but research " generally

supports " the notion that these problems are reversible after longer

periods of abstinence. People in his study were required to have

been abstinent only for the 24 hours before taking the tests.

Another unknown, according to Messinis, is whether marijuana use at

a young age may affect the brain differently than use during

adulthood. Knowledge in this area, he said, is still " poor. "

SOURCE: Neurology, March 14, 2006.

FAM Secret Society is a community based on respect, friendship, support and

acceptance. Everyone is valued.

Check the Links section for more FAM forums.

[Guest guest]

Now THAT hit my funny bone. LOL!

Raven

> Marijuana again tied to memory problems

[Guest guest]

Are you sure your doctor didn't warn you about it, but...well, you

know what I was going to say, right?

>

> While on the subject of warning against substances, a HUGE number of

regular

> medicines have that side-effect too.

>

> I only found out recently that the sleeping-pills my doc gave me when I

> suffered from insomnia some years ago had memory loss as a common side

> effect. :-(

>

> Inger

>

>

>

> <SNIP>

[Guest guest]

Seems like they failed to control for Aspie-traits. If Aspies are more

likely to end up using stimulants, it could very well explain the results

of the study.

Leif

Marijuana again tied to memory problems

> http://news./s/nm/20060314/od_nm/marijuana_memory1_dc;_ylt=A

> nsQFWxX.UWQrsdiFHJT8.oSH9EA;_ylu=X3oDMTA5aHJvMDdwBHNlYwN5bmNhdA--

>

> Marijuana again tied to memory problems

>

> By Amy Norton

> Tue Mar 14, 9:41 AM ET

>

>

>

> NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People who regularly smoke marijuana may

> find their memories growing hazy over time, a study published Monday

> suggests.

>

> In a study of long-term and shorter-term marijuana users,

> researchers in Greece found that both groups performed more poorly

> on tests of memory, attention and other cognitive abilities than a

> comparison group who'd only occasionally used the drug.

>

> Long-term users - who'd smoked four or more joints per week for at

> least 10 years - showed the greatest deficits.

>

> The findings, published in the journal Neurology, add to the

> conflicting body of research on the effects of marijuana on the

> brain. While many studies have suggested that long-time pot smoking

> dulls memory, attention span and mental acuity, some have found no

> large differences in these skills between marijuana users and non-

> users.

>

> One recent analysis of 15 studies found only minor effects on memory

> among long-time pot users, and no clear effect on attention,

> language, reasoning and a number of other cognitive functions.

>

> One problem is that it's difficult for studies such as the current

> one to establish a definite cause-and-effect relationship between

> marijuana and intellectual deficits, Dr. Lambros Messinis, the

> study's lead author, told Reuters Health.

>

> Though the researchers accounted for a number of variables -- like

> education, use of other drugs and the presence of clinical

> depression -- it's tough to control for all the factors that could

> make heavy marijuana users different from other people, according to

> Messinis.

>

> Still, he and his colleagues say, their findings are in line with

> certain past studies linking heavy, long-term pot smoking

> to " subtle " deficits in intellectual abilities.

>

> The study included 40 marijuana users ages 17 to 49 who were in a

> drug abuse treatment program; all had used the drug frequently for

> at least five years, but half -- those considered long-term users --

> had smoked for 10 years or more. They were compared with 24 adults

> the same age who had used pot no more than 20 times in their lives.

>

> Overall, both long- and shorter-term marijuana users performed more

> poorly on tests of memory, attention and mental-processing speed.

> The proportion of study participants deemed " impaired, " according to

> the researchers, was highest in the long-term group and lowest in

> the comparison group.

>

> Long-time pot users showed the greatest problems on tests where they

> were asked to learn and remember a series of words. They

> were " significantly " below the published norms for these tests,

> according to Messinis and his colleagues.

>

> It's not yet clear whether the intellectual deficits linked to

> marijuana are lasting, Messinis said, but research " generally

> supports " the notion that these problems are reversible after longer

> periods of abstinence. People in his study were required to have

> been abstinent only for the 24 hours before taking the tests.

>

> Another unknown, according to Messinis, is whether marijuana use at

> a young age may affect the brain differently than use during

> adulthood. Knowledge in this area, he said, is still " poor. "

>

> SOURCE: Neurology, March 14, 2006.

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> FAM Secret Society is a community based on respect, friendship, support

> and acceptance. Everyone is valued.

>

> Check the Links section for more FAM forums.

>

[Guest guest]

....I forgot? :-)

No, actually. It's only my short-term memory that has been affected. I have

no problem recollecting earlier memories, such as my doc giving me pills

without any sort of warning of side-effects (and of me being to naive &

trusting to ask).

Had no problem remembering things before, though it COULD be genetic too. My

granny had selective poor memory for as long as I can remember (no pun

intended). My mom is getting it too, though in her case it may well be due

to medication as well.

Inger

Re: Marijuana again tied to memory problems

Are you sure your doctor didn't warn you about it, but...well, you

know what I was going to say, right?

>

> While on the subject of warning against substances, a HUGE number of

regular

> medicines have that side-effect too.

>

> I only found out recently that the sleeping-pills my doc gave me when I

> suffered from insomnia some years ago had memory loss as a common side

> effect. :-(

>

> Inger

>

>

>

> <SNIP>

FAM Secret Society is a community based on respect, friendship, support and

acceptance. Everyone is valued.

Check the Links section for more FAM forums.

[Guest guest]

Marijuana is not a stimulant, it's a relaxant.

But I too believe that neuro-atypical people are more likely to end up using

the particular drug they feel attracted to as self-medication.

I used it (in very small amounts, and only for a couple of years) to rewind,

to make the world a little less ugly and to go to sleep. Worked perfectly

with no noticeable side effects other than temporary lethargy, introversion

and sugar cravings. Next day I'd feel rejuvenated and perfectly clear in the

head and (literally) bouncing about my business as usual.

Though I also think neuro-atypical people are at most risk to have weird

reactions to it, just as to many legal drugs & medicines.

Inger

Marijuana again tied to memory problems

> http://news./s/nm/20060314/od_nm/marijuana_memory1_dc;_ylt=A

> nsQFWxX.UWQrsdiFHJT8.oSH9EA;_ylu=X3oDMTA5aHJvMDdwBHNlYwN5bmNhdA--

>

> Marijuana again tied to memory problems

>

> By Amy Norton

> Tue Mar 14, 9:41 AM ET

>

>

>

> NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People who regularly smoke marijuana may

> find their memories growing hazy over time, a study published Monday

> suggests.

>

> In a study of long-term and shorter-term marijuana users,

> researchers in Greece found that both groups performed more poorly

> on tests of memory, attention and other cognitive abilities than a

> comparison group who'd only occasionally used the drug.

>

> Long-term users - who'd smoked four or more joints per week for at

> least 10 years - showed the greatest deficits.

>

> The findings, published in the journal Neurology, add to the

> conflicting body of research on the effects of marijuana on the

> brain. While many studies have suggested that long-time pot smoking

> dulls memory, attention span and mental acuity, some have found no

> large differences in these skills between marijuana users and non-

> users.

>

> One recent analysis of 15 studies found only minor effects on memory

> among long-time pot users, and no clear effect on attention,

> language, reasoning and a number of other cognitive functions.

>

> One problem is that it's difficult for studies such as the current

> one to establish a definite cause-and-effect relationship between

> marijuana and intellectual deficits, Dr. Lambros Messinis, the

> study's lead author, told Reuters Health.

>

> Though the researchers accounted for a number of variables -- like

> education, use of other drugs and the presence of clinical

> depression -- it's tough to control for all the factors that could

> make heavy marijuana users different from other people, according to

> Messinis.

>

> Still, he and his colleagues say, their findings are in line with

> certain past studies linking heavy, long-term pot smoking

> to " subtle " deficits in intellectual abilities.

>

> The study included 40 marijuana users ages 17 to 49 who were in a

> drug abuse treatment program; all had used the drug frequently for

> at least five years, but half -- those considered long-term users --

> had smoked for 10 years or more. They were compared with 24 adults

> the same age who had used pot no more than 20 times in their lives.

>

> Overall, both long- and shorter-term marijuana users performed more

> poorly on tests of memory, attention and mental-processing speed.

> The proportion of study participants deemed " impaired, " according to

> the researchers, was highest in the long-term group and lowest in

> the comparison group.

>

> Long-time pot users showed the greatest problems on tests where they

> were asked to learn and remember a series of words. They

> were " significantly " below the published norms for these tests,

> according to Messinis and his colleagues.

>

> It's not yet clear whether the intellectual deficits linked to

> marijuana are lasting, Messinis said, but research " generally

> supports " the notion that these problems are reversible after longer

> periods of abstinence. People in his study were required to have

> been abstinent only for the 24 hours before taking the tests.

>

> Another unknown, according to Messinis, is whether marijuana use at

> a young age may affect the brain differently than use during

> adulthood. Knowledge in this area, he said, is still " poor. "

>

> SOURCE: Neurology, March 14, 2006.

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> FAM Secret Society is a community based on respect, friendship, support

> and acceptance. Everyone is valued.

>

> Check the Links section for more FAM forums.

>

[Guest guest]

A lot of times doctors say to read the insert but then people never

do. Big mistake. I also heard on the radio today that if you take a

drug while driving and are in a car accident the insurance company

may deny your claim if that drug is found in your system.

> >

> > While on the subject of warning against substances, a HUGE number

of

> regular

> > medicines have that side-effect too.

> >

> > I only found out recently that the sleeping-pills my doc gave me

when I

> > suffered from insomnia some years ago had memory loss as a common

side

> > effect. :-(

> >

> > Inger

> >

> >

> >

> > <SNIP>

>

[Guest guest]

A lot of times doctors say to read the insert but then people never

do. Big mistake. I also heard on the radio today that if you take a

drug while driving and are in a car accident the insurance company

may deny your claim if that drug is found in your system.

> >

> > While on the subject of warning against substances, a HUGE number

of

> regular

> > medicines have that side-effect too.

> >

> > I only found out recently that the sleeping-pills my doc gave me

when I

> > suffered from insomnia some years ago had memory loss as a common

side

> > effect. :-(

> >

> > Inger

> >

> >

> >

> > <SNIP>

>