Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30706169›Full record

SynthesisEuropean archives of psychiatry and clinical neuroscience2019

Does regular cannabis use affect neuroanatomy? An updated systematic review and meta-analysis of structural neuroimaging studies.

Valentina Lorenzetti, Yann Chye, Pedro Silva, Nadia Solowij, Carl A Roberts

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in European archives of psychiatry and clinical neuroscience, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 62 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
62citing papers in PubMed, 6 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

62 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Pooled it
  5. Pooled it
  6. Guideline
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Article
  10. Article
  11. Review
  12. Article
  13. Article
  14. Independent brain cortical signatures of risk for adolescent cannabis use and consequences of such use are moderated by sex.Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology · 2026
    Article
  15. Review
  16. Article
  17. Article
  18. Article
  19. Article
  20. Article

2 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Valentina LorenzettiSchool of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Daniel Mannix building, Fitzroy, VIC, 3065, Australia. valentina.lorenzetti@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5917-7068
Yann ChyeBrain and Mental Health Research Hub, Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
Pedro SilvaDepartment of Psychological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
Nadia SolowijSchool of Psychology and Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia.
Carl A RobertsDepartment of Psychological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Regular cannabis use is associated with adverse cognitive and mental health outcomes that have been ascribed to aberrant neuroanatomy in brain regions densely innervated with cannabinoid receptors. Neuroanatomical differences between cannabis users and controls have been assessed in multiple structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI) studies. However, there is heterogeneity in the results leading to cautious interpretation of the data so far. We examined the sMRI evidence to date in human cannabis users, to establish more definitely whether neuroanatomical alterations are associated with regular cannabis use. The regional specificity and association with cannabis use indices (i.e. cumulative dosage, duration) were also explored. We systematically reviewed and meta-analysed published sMRI studies investigating regional brain volumes (cortical, subcortical and global) in cannabis users and non-user controls. Three electronic databases were searched (PubMed, Scopus, and PsycINFO). A total of 17 meta-analyses were conducted (one for each cortical, subcortical and global volume) using the generic inverse variance method, whereby standardised mean difference in volume was calculated between users and non-users. Exploratory meta-regressions were conducted to investigate the association between cannabis use indices and regional brain volumes. A total of 30 articles were eligible for inclusion, contributing 106 effect sizes across 17 meta-analyses. Regular cannabis users had significantly smaller volumes of the hippocampus (SMD = 0.14, 95% CIs [0.02, 0.27]; Z = 2.29, p = 0.02, I

Indexed as

HippocampusPrefrontal CortexCannabisHumansNeuroimaging

Identifiers

PMID30706169

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.