Objective:The variability of findings in studies examining the effects of chronic cannabis use on neuropsychological functioning highlights the importance of examining contributing factors. Few studies examine the role of sex in the relationship between cannabis and neuropsychological functioning, despite known neurobiological structural differences between males and females. This study examined whether males and females experience differential cognitive effects of chronic cannabis use.Method:Chronic cannabis users (3+ days per week for >12 months, n = 110, 72% male) and non-users (n = 71, 39% male) completed a neuropsychological test battery. Two multivariate analyses of covariance (MANCOVAs) examined for sex differences in performance within users and non-users on neuropsychological tests, controlling for potential confounding variables. Bonferroni corrections were applied to adjust for multiple comparisons.Results:Male and female cannabis users did not differ in cannabis use variables. Female cannabis users performed better than males on multiple subtests of the California Verbal Learning Test-II (CVLT-II), a verbal learning and memory test. Male cannabis users performed better than female users on Trial 1 of the CVLT-II (p = .002), and Trail Making Test B (p = .001), which measure attention and cognitive flexibility, respectively. Non-user males and females performed comparably, with the exception of Trail Making Test B (p = .001).Conclusions:Results suggest that chronic cannabis use differentially impacts males and females, with females exhibiting better verbal learning and memory despite males demonstrating better attention and cognitive flexibility. Further research is needed to understand the potential protective mechanism of female sex on learning and memory effects of cannabis use.

中文翻译：

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女性性别作为慢性大麻使用对语言学习和记忆影响的保护因素

目的：研究慢性大麻使用对神经心理功能影响的研究结果的可变性突出了检查促成因素的重要性。尽管已知男性和女性之间的神经生物学结构存在差异，但很少有研究探讨性别在大麻和神经心理功能之间的关系中的作用。本研究检查男性和女性是否经历慢性大麻使用的不同认知影响。方法：慢性大麻使用者（每周 3 天以上，持续 > 12 个月，n= 110, 72% 男性）和非用户（n= 71, 39% 男性) 完成了神经心理学测试。两项协方差多变量分析 (MANCOVA) 检查了用户和非用户在神经心理学测试中表现的性别差异，控制了潜在的混杂变量。应用 Bonferroni 校正来调整多重比较。结果：男性和女性大麻使用者在大麻使用变量方面没有差异。在加州语言学习测试-II (CVLT-II) 的多个子测试中，女性大麻使用者的表现优于男性，这是一种语言学习和记忆测试。在 CVLT-II 的试验 1 中，男性大麻使用者的表现优于女性使用者（p= .002) 和跟踪测试 B (p= .001），分别衡量注意力和认知灵活性。非用户男性和女性的表现相当，除了 Trail Making Test B (p= .001)。结论：结果表明，长期使用大麻对男性和女性的影响不同，尽管男性表现出更好的注意力和认知灵活性，但女性表现出更好的语言学习和记忆力。需要进一步研究以了解女性对大麻使用的学习和记忆影响的潜在保护机制。