SynthesisFrontiers in psychiatry2026
How adolescent cannabis use reshapes the developing brain - a systematic review.
Synthesis in Frontiers in psychiatry, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
What it found
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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.
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.
Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Impact of cannabis use on white matter hyperintensities in adults with and without chronic HIV disease.Journal of neurovirology · 2026Article
- Genetic pleiotropy differentially linking brain variation to cannabis use and cannabis use disorder.Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology · 2026Article
- Motion and form perception in healthy individuals with adolescent cannabis use.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background and hypothesis: Cannabis use initiation during adolescence has increased globally, raising concerns about neurodevelopmental consequences during this critical period when the brain undergoes extensive remodeling in cannabinoid receptor-rich regions. Study design: This systematic review examines neurodevelopmental consequences of adolescent cannabis use, focusing on structural brain changes, cognitive impacts, addiction vulnerability, and long-term outcomes. We searched PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and Web of Science (2000-2025) for studies examining cannabis effects in adolescent populations. Following PRISMA guidelines, two reviewers screened 3,421 records and assessed 156 full-text articles, including studies with neuroimaging, cognitive assessments, or longitudinal follow-up. Study results: Thirty-six studies involving 8,432 participants met criteria: 23 longitudinal cohorts (62.2%), 8 cross-sectional (22.2%), 4 RCTs (11.1%), and 1 case-control study (2.8%). Neuroimaging revealed dose-dependent alterations including reduced prefrontal cortical and hippocampal/amygdala volumes, accelerated cortical thinning in longitudinal studies, and impaired white matter connectivity correlating with initiation age. Cognitive findings were mixed - some showed persistent deficits after prolonged abstinence in adolescent-onset users, others found no effects after controlling for confounders. Epidemiological studies consistently showed elevated addiction risk (ORs 3.9-7.2) in adolescents versus adults. Long-term associations included educational difficulties, mental health problems, and functional impairment, though causal relationships remained unclear. Conclusions: Adolescent cannabis use associates with structural brain changes, elevated addiction risk, and variable cognitive effects, suggesting greater vulnerability versus adult-onset use. However, methodological limitations including confounders, heterogeneous definitions, and observational designs limit causal inference. Findings support age-specific prevention and specialized interventions while highlighting needs for rigorous longitudinal research establishing causality. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifierCRD420251165329.
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Registered trials
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.