Cannabis consumption can be a way of dealing with some health problems, such as chronic pain or insomnia, but when used in excess (to the point of obliging hospital care), negative consequences may extend in the future.
Although the psychoactive plant was associated with Many health benefitsincluding a better sleepo Melanoma growth brake and the improvement of a number of quality of life factors, the excessive use of the drug has shown increase the risks of coronary artery disease e impair brain function in young consumers.
A new study by a team of Canadian researchers in Jama Neurology, added another warning to the too vigorous participation in Cannabis: Dementia.
According to, to reach their conclusions, scientists from institutes across Canada analyzed a database consisting of six million adults with 45 years or oldernone of whom had a history of dementia.
Then found 16 275 individuals who had gone to the hospital due to excessive consumption of cannabis.
Of this subgroup, 5% were diagnosed with dementia within five yearswhile 19% were diagnosed with the disease within 10 yearswhat represented a Risk 23% higher diagnosis of Demênciain relation to individuals who received intensive care by any other disease and A 72% higher risk than the general population.
“The prolonged and intense consumption of cannabis has been associated with Memory problems in middle ageas well as the Changes in brain structure associated with dementia ”, says Daniel Myranmain author of the study. “Our goal was to estimate the risk of being diagnosed with dementia in a group of people whose cannabis consumption resulted in a visit to the emergency or required hospitalization for treatment.”
Myran is an adjunct scientist at the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences in Ottowa, where the medical data used in the study was compiled.
Analyzing the data deeper, the researchers say they also saw a five times increase in the first acute care visits due to the use of cannabis between 2008 and 2021.
Scientists also warned of Some care for your study. First, because, according to them, the study toonly hospital admissions for overuse of cannabisThere is no way to say whether those who abuse the drug, but have never been to the hospital because of this, they may or may not develop dementia in the future.
Secondly, they claim that the Study does not indicate that cannabis causes dementia. Just discovered one relationship between the two diseases through the analysis of a large amount of data.
As for the reason for this relationship, Colleen Webberco -author of the study, has a theory. “THE regular consumption of cannabis can directly increase the risk of dementia through changes in brain structure, ”he said.“ It is also possible that the regular consumption of cannabis Increase the risk of other risk factors established for dementia, including hypertension, head and other injuries, and a Higher risk of depression e social isolation“.
“Although we collectively need further research To better understand the potential risks of regular consumption of cognition and dementia, we hope that these results can serve as a basis for the debate between patients and health care providers, ”concluded Myran.
Teresa Oliveira Campos, Zap //
