Synthetic Cannabinoids Impact on Cognitive Functions

Abstract Background: Synthetic cannabinoids SC are now becoming progressively popular among young people worldwide; little is known about their negative effects. Anger, anxiety, hallucinations and perceptual changes were the most common psychoactive findings. Substance abuse causes cognitive impairment (CI). Study aim: This study's goal is to raise public awareness about the dangers that synthetic cannabinoid intoxication poses to public health. As well as the prevalence of CI in synthetic cannabinoids and its relationship to healthy people. Study design and participants: The study included 30 synthetic cannabinoids SC addicts and 30 healthy people. The Wechsler memory scale (WMS) and the Benton visual retention test (BVRT) were used to assess cognitive functions. Addiction Severity Index (ASI), Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorder (SCID-I), and Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis II Disorder (SCID II). Findings: Cognitive performance differed significantly between synthetic cannabinoid users and non-users, with no correlation to patient age or synthetic cannabinoid use duration. Conclusion: Patients who used synthetic cannabinoids SC were more likely than controls to develop CI, which manifested as impaired visual, auditory, immediate, delayed, and working memory.