Pot, Performance and Coordination

Justin Trudeau might not be crazy about the sound of it but recent research indicates that high-potency cannabis may not be the best thing for your coordination.

This study (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26610039) is the first one to investigate the effects of cannabis potency on brain morphology. The focus, here, was the corpus callosum (CC).

The function of the CC is to allow both sides of the brain to “speak” so that you can access higher functions on a motor and cognitive standpoint. Some functions of the brain belong more so to one hemisphere. When these speak at the same rate, brain function is optimal. For this to take place, the CC is necessary.

In the context of this study, individuals with first-episode psychosis (FEP) and individuals without psychosis, cannabis users and non-users were assessed.

The CC of 56 FEP (37 cannabis users) and 43 individuals without psychosis (22 cannabis users) was virtually dissected.

The conclusion was as follows: frequent use of high-potency cannabis was associated with disturbed micro structural organization in individuals with and without psychosis.

When one considers the importance of good CC function for brain performance, although cannabis is legal in certain states, does it necessarily make it good for you?