Citation

Busardò FP, Pellegrini M, Klein J, di Luca NM. CNS Neurol. Disord. Drug Targets 2017; 16(5): 534-540.

Affiliation

Section of Legal Medicine, Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic and Orthopedic Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, V.Le Regina Elena 336, 00161, Rome, Italy Rome. Italy.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Bentham Science Publishers)

DOI

10.2174/1871527316666170424115455

PMID

28440193

Abstract

Delta (9)-tetrahydrocannabinol is the main psychoactive compound in cannabis and is commonly identified in blood samples from arrested drivers assumed to drive under the influence of drugs. Changing social norms towards cannabis and higher acceptability towards the drug emphasize the need for comprehensive understanding of the severe neurocognitive and psychomotor effects caused by cannabis and how these effects are correlated to driving skills and performance. In this review, PubMed, Cochrane Central, Scopus, Web of Science, Science Direct and EMBASE databases were used to identify and select publications up to January 2017 dealing with acute and chronic neurocognitive effects induced by cannabis and ability to drive. Thirty-six s publications were selected for this review. The studies conducted were experimental, using simulators or on-road studies and brain imaging (structural and functional) to better understand the acute and chronic effects on cognitive functions comprised in the short and long-term fitness to drive after cannabis consumption. In a case-crossover self-report study a significant odds ratio increase was found for driving-related injury after combined exposure to cannabis and alcohol compared to cannabis alone (OR of 10.9 and 5.8 respectively). Both experimental and epidemiological studies have revealed that THC affects negatively both, psychomotor skills and cognitive functions. Studies of the acute effects of cannabis on driving have shown that drivers under the influence of this substance are impaired. Indeed, driving under the influence of cannabis doubles or triples the risk of a crash. Specifically, cannabis use impairs critical-tracking tasks increases lane weaving, decreases reaction time, and divided attention.

Keywords: Cannabis impaired driving;

Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Language: en

Keywords

; acute effects; cannabis; chronic effects  delta (9)-tetrahydrocannabinol; driving under the influence; neurocognitive