title: Psychomotor function in chronic daily Cannabis smokers during sustained abstinence.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The present study assessed psychomotor function in chronic, daily cannabis smokers during 3 weeks continuously monitored abstinence on a secure research unit. We hypothesized that psychomotor performance would improve during abstinence of chronic, daily cannabis smokers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Performance on the critical tracking (CTT) and divided attention (DAT) tasks was assessed in 19 male chronic, daily cannabis smokers at baseline and after 8, 14-16 and 21-23 days of continuously monitored abstinence. Psychomotor performance was compared to a control group of non-intoxicated occasional drug users. Critical frequency (λ(c)) of the CTT and tracking error and control losses of the DAT were the primary outcome measures. Results showed that chronic cannabis smokers' performance on the CTT (p<0.001) and the DAT (p<0.001) was impaired during baseline relative to the comparison group. Psychomotor performance in the chronic cannabis smokers improved over 3 weeks of abstinence, but did not recover to equivalent control group performance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sustained cannabis abstinence moderately improved critical tracking and divided attention performance in chronic, daily cannabis smokers, but impairment was still observable compared to controls after 3 weeks of abstinence. Between group differences, however, need to be interpreted with caution as chronic smokers and controls were not matched for education, social economic status, life style and race.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropsychology and Psychopharmacology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Wendy M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Bosker
authors.forename: Erin L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Karschner
authors.forename: Dayong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Robert S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Goodwin
authors.forename: Jussi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hirvonen
authors.forename: Robert B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Innis
authors.forename: Eef L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Theunissen
authors.forename: Kim P C
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Kuypers
authors.forename: Marilyn A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Huestis
authors.forename: Johannes G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Ramaekers
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention / Q000187:drug effects*; D002188:Cannabis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003071:Cognition; D013759:Dronabinol / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D002189:Marijuana Abuse / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008385:Marijuana Smoking; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D013759:Dronabinol