According to a new study based on a large data set of older adults, marijuana use may be linked to slower brain aging and improved cognitive function. The study, which used data from 25,000 adults aged 44 to 81, found that those who used marijuana had brain characteristics "typically associated with a younger brain" and showed "enhanced cognitive abilities."

The research results are currently only available in preprint form and have not yet been peer-reviewed. They have been published in the journal Research Square.

The researchers analyzed neuroimaging and behavioral data collected through the UK Biobank to examine the relationship between cannabis use, aging, and cognitive function. Lifetime cannabis use was defined as at least once, "light users" as up to 10 times, and "heavy users" as more than 10 times.

Specifically, the researchers focused on how these factors affect the brain's functional network connectivity (FNC)—how brain regions communicate with each other—and the underlying neuroimaging patterns.

According to the findings, both the aging process and cannabis affect the same brain networks, but in opposite ways.

“Our results suggest that cannabis use and healthy aging are associated with overlapping brain network structures, particularly within the FNC between subcortical and sensorimotor areas, and between subcortical and cerebellar regions, despite apparently opposing effects,” the authors note.

People who used cannabis showed brain connectivity patterns that were more typical of a "young brain," particularly in areas involved in movement, coordination, and sensory processing. They also performed better on tests related to cognitive function, including problem solving, planning, memory, intelligence, and vocabulary.

These effects were evident across age groups, from middle age (45-55 years) to those aged 66 and above.

The ECS, Cannabis, and Brain Aging

While the findings don't definitively prove that cannabis improves cognitive function, they further suggest that certain cannabinoids may affect brain aging and have "neuroprotective effects."

The endocannabinoid system (ECS) plays a crucial role in regulating inflammation, aging, and neurological health. Researchers note that brain regions with higher connectivity are enriched with cannabinoid receptors, suggesting that cannabis may support these pathways, helping maintain brain communication and reducing inflammation.

"Cannabis users show improved performance across multiple cognitive domains, and interestingly, the effects of cannabis and cognition appear to be co-occurring across a range of brain systems," the authors stated. "These findings suggest that cannabis use may be associated with slowing the neuroaging process and preserving cognitive function in older adults."

Cannabinoids are currently being trialed as treatments for neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, and previous research has suggested that tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) may have anti-aging, cognitive-enhancing, and anti-aging effects.

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