ADHD Experts Podcast 288- Marijuana and the ADHD Brain: How to Identify and Treat Cannabis Use Disorder
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Mar 4, 2020 
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How THC Disrupts Brain Signaling
- THC mimics endogenous cannabinoids and binds cannabinoid receptors, disrupting normal neuron-to-neuron signaling and slowing brain communication like a dimmer switch.
- This inhibition alters neurotransmitter feedback loops (e.g., 2-AG, anandamide), reducing signal strength across networks involved in attention and memory.
THC Shrinks Dendrites In Developing Brains
- Adolescent THC exposure reduces dendritic branching in animal studies, impairing neuronal connectivity essential for learning and processing.
- Comparable human-equivalent doses produced visibly 'bare' dendrites in rats after a short administration, raising concerns about reversibility.
Teen Cannabis Linked To Lasting IQ Loss
- Starting heavy cannabis use in adolescence predicts lasting cognitive harm, including average IQ loss observed in longitudinal studies.
- The New Zealand cohort showed adolescent cannabis use disorder linked to an average loss of about eight IQ points persisting into mid-adulthood.