A comparison of psychosocial and cognitive functioning between depressed and non-depressed patients with cannabis dependence

J Addict Dis. 2010 Jul;29(3):325-37. doi: 10.1080/10550887.2010.489444.

Abstract

Cannabis use and depressive disorders are thought to impair cognitive performance and psychosocial functioning. Both disorders co-occurring may compound the negative effects of these diagnoses. In this study, the authors used the California Computerized Assessment Package as the cognitive performance measure and the Addiction Severity Index as the psychosocial functioning measure to compare individuals who were cannabis dependent and either depressed or not depressed (N= 108: 54 cannabis dependent only, 54 cannabis dependent and depressed or dysthymic). As predicted, cannabis dependent individuals with comorbid depression showed more psychosocial impairment than individuals with cannabis dependence alone. However, contrary to the authors' hypothesis, individuals who were cannabis dependent with comorbid depression showed less cognitive impairment in some California Computerized Assessment Package modules than individuals with cannabis dependence alone. Based on the authors' results, they concluded that the additive effects of cannabis dependency and depression may only be limited to psychosocial domains and may not extend to cognitive functioning.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Cognition Disorders / diagnosis
  • Cognition Disorders / epidemiology*
  • Cognition Disorders / psychology
  • Comorbidity
  • Depressive Disorder / diagnosis
  • Depressive Disorder / epidemiology*
  • Depressive Disorder / psychology
  • Dysthymic Disorder / diagnosis
  • Dysthymic Disorder / epidemiology*
  • Dysthymic Disorder / psychology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Marijuana Abuse / diagnosis
  • Marijuana Abuse / epidemiology*
  • Marijuana Abuse / psychology*
  • Middle Aged
  • Neuropsychological Tests / statistics & numerical data
  • New York City
  • Personality Assessment / statistics & numerical data
  • Psychometrics
  • Reaction Time
  • Social Adjustment
  • Young Adult