Long-Term Pot Use May Shrink Brain

Parts of the brain may shrink in long-term, heavy users of marijuana, a study has found. The study included 15 men who had smoked at least 5 joints daily for 10 years or more. They were compared with 16 non-users. All were given magnetic resonance imaging brain scans. The users’ brains were 12% smaller in the hippocampus. The amygdala was 7% smaller. Users also had lower scores on memory tests and showed some mild psychotic symptoms. The study was published in the journal Archives of General Psychiatry. HealthDay and Reuters news services reported on it June 2.