Gender Differences in Verbal Memory Performance in Adolescent Marijuana Users and Controls
Mentor 1
Krista Lisdahl
Location
Union Wisconsin Room
Start Date
28-4-2017 1:30 PM
End Date
28-4-2017 4:00 PM
Description
Marijuana (MJ) is one of the most popular recreational drugs used by young adults and has known detrimental impacts on cognitive function, particularly learning and memory (Medina et al., 2007). This study assessed whether gender differences exist in the impact of MJ use on verbal learning and memory performance, as measured by the California Verbal Learning Test- Second Edition (CVLT-II). A sample of 147 adolescent MJ users (n=61) and controls (n=86) were drawn from the community as part of a larger study of adolescent brain function. Independent samples t-tests were conducted to compare past-year MJ joint use by gender. MJ users and controls were also compared on short-delay free recall (SDFR) scores and long-delay free recall (LDFR) scores by gender. SDFR and LDFR were measured using the CVLT-II, a normed and standardized assessment of verbal learning and memory. No significant difference was observed between men (n=38) and women (n=23) for SDFR [t(59)=0.88, p=0.38] or LDFR [t(59)=0.17, p=0.86] in the MJ sample, despite the fact that men in the sample had significantly higher past year joint use compared to women [t(59)=2.03, p=0.05]. Within the control group (n= 86), there was no significant difference between men (n=39) and women (n=47) on SDFR [t(84)=1.25, p=0.21] or LDFR [t(84)=1.59, p=0.12] performance. In this sample, no significant differences were observed between the male and female MJ users compared to same gendered non-users in verbal memory performance despite significant differences in past year MJ use. This lack of findings may be explained by the prolonged monitored length of abstinence (at least 3 weeks), as verbal memory has been shown to rapidly recover with sustained abstinence (Hanson et al., 2010).
Gender Differences in Verbal Memory Performance in Adolescent Marijuana Users and Controls
Union Wisconsin Room
Marijuana (MJ) is one of the most popular recreational drugs used by young adults and has known detrimental impacts on cognitive function, particularly learning and memory (Medina et al., 2007). This study assessed whether gender differences exist in the impact of MJ use on verbal learning and memory performance, as measured by the California Verbal Learning Test- Second Edition (CVLT-II). A sample of 147 adolescent MJ users (n=61) and controls (n=86) were drawn from the community as part of a larger study of adolescent brain function. Independent samples t-tests were conducted to compare past-year MJ joint use by gender. MJ users and controls were also compared on short-delay free recall (SDFR) scores and long-delay free recall (LDFR) scores by gender. SDFR and LDFR were measured using the CVLT-II, a normed and standardized assessment of verbal learning and memory. No significant difference was observed between men (n=38) and women (n=23) for SDFR [t(59)=0.88, p=0.38] or LDFR [t(59)=0.17, p=0.86] in the MJ sample, despite the fact that men in the sample had significantly higher past year joint use compared to women [t(59)=2.03, p=0.05]. Within the control group (n= 86), there was no significant difference between men (n=39) and women (n=47) on SDFR [t(84)=1.25, p=0.21] or LDFR [t(84)=1.59, p=0.12] performance. In this sample, no significant differences were observed between the male and female MJ users compared to same gendered non-users in verbal memory performance despite significant differences in past year MJ use. This lack of findings may be explained by the prolonged monitored length of abstinence (at least 3 weeks), as verbal memory has been shown to rapidly recover with sustained abstinence (Hanson et al., 2010).
