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Study: Older Cannabis Users Have Larger Brains, Better Cognition

news.cuanschutz.edu

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Re: Study: Older Cannabis Users Have Larger Brains, Better Cognition

#11

Post by 936966931646863 »

gregoryyy wrote: post #7

I see the drugs are bad crowd are out in force. I'm sure they'll treat any negative stories about drug users or the effects of drugs with just as much scepticism, prejudice, and criticism as they demonstrate here. How wonderful it must be to be powered by objective reason and free from confirmation bias.

Of course junkies would jump on this paper, while conveniently ignoring meta-analyses.

"Longitudinal and twin studies report larger declines in IQ among cannabis users than their non-using peers but it is unclear whether these findings can be attributed to cannabis use or to genetic, mental health and environmental factors."

Re: Study: Older Cannabis Users Have Larger Brains, Better Cognition

#13

Post by throwuxiytayq »

polotics wrote: post #12

This appears to be a perfect case of correlation vs. causation. Off the top of my head I can think of many socio-economic confounding variables, and also survivorship-bias.

I actually kinda like the interpretation that big brained, cognitively superior individuals are more likely to become cannabis users.

Re: Study: Older Cannabis Users Have Larger Brains, Better Cognition

#14

Post by palata »

gregoryyy wrote: post #7

I see the drugs are bad crowd are out in force. I'm sure they'll treat any negative stories about drug users or the effects of drugs with just as much scepticism, prejudice, and criticism as they demonstrate here. How wonderful it must be to be powered by objective reason and free from confirmation bias.

If you read the article, I believe it is more of a "we are studying it and there is a lot to do" than "drugs are good".

I think a very important part is:

> For example, I’m interested in the effects of THC versus CBD. We don't have any of that information in the UK Biobank. Most people in this study were using cannabis quite a while ago, and cannabis at that time looked very different from what’s available today. That context really matters. It’s a complex picture.

Re: Study: Older Cannabis Users Have Larger Brains, Better Cognition

#16

Post by ivan_gammel »

throwuxiytayq wrote: post #13
polotics wrote: post #12

This appears to be a perfect case of correlation vs. causation. Off the top of my head I can think of many socio-economic confounding variables, and also survivorship-bias.

I actually kinda like the interpretation that big brained, cognitively superior individuals are more likely to become cannabis users.

* Long term cannabis users that do not slide into something worse over time or just do not consume too much.

Re: Study: Older Cannabis Users Have Larger Brains, Better Cognition

#17

Post by vga42 »

palata wrote: post #14
gregoryyy wrote: post #7

I see the drugs are bad crowd are out in force. I'm sure they'll treat any negative stories about drug users or the effects of drugs with just as much scepticism, prejudice, and criticism as they demonstrate here. How wonderful it must be to be powered by objective reason and free from confirmation bias.

If you read the article, I believe it is more of a "we are studying it and there is a lot to do" than "drugs are good". I think a very important part is: > For example, I’m interested in the effects of THC versus CBD. We don't have any of that information in the UK Biobank. Most people in this study were using cannabis quite a while ago, and cannabis at that time looked very different from what’s available today. Tha…

That's kind of an odd thing to point out. If my buds are stronger, I use less of them.

It's like having a bottle of beer vs bottle of whiskey. I don't exactly imbibe them in the same way, do I?

Re: Study: Older Cannabis Users Have Larger Brains, Better Cognition

#18

Post by gregoryyy »

936966931646863 wrote: post #11
gregoryyy wrote: post #7

I see the drugs are bad crowd are out in force. I'm sure they'll treat any negative stories about drug users or the effects of drugs with just as much scepticism, prejudice, and criticism as they demonstrate here. How wonderful it must be to be powered by objective reason and free from confirmation bias.

Of course junkies would jump on this paper, while conveniently ignoring meta-analyses. "Longitudinal and twin studies report larger declines in IQ among cannabis users than their non-using peers but it is unclear whether these findings can be attributed to cannabis use or to genetic, mental health and environmental factors."

Yes, and I'm sure virtuous non-"junkies" such as yourself hold all articles that report or demonstrate negative findings about recreational drug use to the same exacting standards. It must be freeing to have a completely objective perspective and be free from the clouds of any ideology or bias.

Re: Study: Older Cannabis Users Have Larger Brains, Better Cognition

#19

Post by guelo »

n=1 but I've picked up a daily chess hobby over the past couple of years and I noticed a big negative correlation between my chess rating and my weed use to the point that I've stopped using weed after a 20 year habit. I'm talking 100-200 elo drop that would last several days.

Re: Study: Older Cannabis Users Have Larger Brains, Better Cognition

#20

Post by scotty79 »

vga42 wrote: post #15

If only it was legal, I'd happily replace my alcohol use with cannabis, and I don't think I'm alone in my age group. Not a big surprise that that yields improved brain health.

Imagine you could replace with just existing.

That said, when I walked through the main street of my city after dark, I thought replacing all the drunks with stoned would have been a major improvement.

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