Citation

Wade NE, Bagot KS, Tapert SF, Gruber SA, Filbey FM, Lisdahl KM. J. Stud. Alcohol Drugs 2020; 81(4): 479-483.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Alcohol Research Documentation, Inc., Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

32800084

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Despite preliminary evidence of unique acute cognitive and psychopharmacological changes attributable to combined alcohol and cannabis use, few studies have investigated more chronic effects of same-day co-use, particularly during neurodevelopmentally sensitive periods. Therefore, relationships between past-month binge alcohol and cannabis co-use and cognitive functioning were examined in adolescents and young adults.

METHOD: Data from the Imaging Data in Emerging Adults with Addiction (IDEAA) Consortium were used to assess cognitive functioning in emerging adults with a large range of substance use (n = 232; 15-26 years old) who were abstinent for at least 3 weeks. Multiple regressions assessed cognitive functioning by past-month binge episodes, cannabis use episodes, and same-day co-use, controlling for covariates (e.g., study site, sex, age).

RESULTS: After correcting for multiple comparisons, more past-month co-use episodes were related to decreased Ruff 2&7 selective attention accuracy (p =.036). Sex significantly covaried with California Verbal Learning Test-Second Edition initial learning.

CONCLUSIONS: Although few significant relationships were found and effect sizes are modest, the persistence of an effect on attention despite a period of sustained abstinence highlights the need to carefully investigate patterns of substance use and potential independent and interactive effects on the developing brain.

Language: en