title: Auditory mismatch negativity deficits in long-term heavy cannabis users.
abstract: Mismatch negativity (MMN) is an auditory event-related potential indicating auditory sensory memory and information processing. The present study tested the hypothesis that chronic cannabis use is associated with deficient MMN generation. MMN was investigated in age- and gender-matched chronic cannabis users (n = 30) and nonuser controls (n = 30). The cannabis users were divided into two groups according to duration and quantity of cannabis consumption. The MMNs resulting from a pseudorandomized sequence of 2 × 900 auditory stimuli were recorded by 32-channel EEG. The standard stimuli were 1,000 Hz, 80 dB SPL and 90 ms duration. The deviant stimuli differed in duration (50 ms) or frequency (1,200 Hz). There were no significant differences in MMN values between cannabis users and nonuser controls in both deviance conditions. With regard to subgroups, reduced amplitudes of frequency MMN at frontal electrodes were found in long-term (≥8 years of use) and heavy (≥15 joints/week) users compared to short-term and light users. The results indicate that chronic cannabis use may cause a specific impairment of auditory information processing. In particular, duration and quantity of cannabis use could be identified as important factors of deficient MMN generation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Ruhr-University Bochum, Alexandrinenstr. 1, 44791, Bochum, Germany. patrik.roser@rub.de
authors.forename: Patrik
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Roser
authors.forename: Beate
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Della
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Norra
authors.forename: Idun
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Uhl
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brüne
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Juckel
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000328:Adult; D001303:Auditory Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D001307:Auditory Perception / Q000187:drug effects; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003265:Contingent Negative Variation / Q000187:drug effects*; D013759:Dronabinol / Q000494:pharmacology; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005072:Evoked Potentials, Auditory / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006213:Hallucinogens / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D002189:Marijuana Abuse / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D043882:Receptors, Cannabinoid / Q000378:metabolism; D013995:Time
chemical_list: D006213:Hallucinogens; D043882:Receptors, Cannabinoid; D013759:Dronabinol