This article requires a subscription to view the full text. If you have a subscription you may use the login form below to view the article. Access to this article can also be purchased.
To the Editor:
Drs. Ghaffar and Feinstein1 report important new data associating regular smoking of street cannabis in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) with more extensive cognitive abnormalities compared to patients with MS who do not use cannabis.
In 2006 we reported subtle deficits in specific neuropsychological domains in heavy, long-term cannabis users that were in the unintoxicated state.2 The Ghaffar and Feinstein report provides evidence that patients with MS might suffer additional cognitive decline when smoking cannabis regularly.1
However, cognitive deficits that have been attributed to regular recreational use of cannabis are not necessarily extended to controlled pharmaceutical use of cannabis-based medicinal extracts (CBMEs). However, the findings of Ghaffar and Feinsten form the basis on which to raise concern regarding potential cognitive adverse effects of long-term regular cannabis use in MS.
We recently reviewed MS clinical trial data of CBMEs and specifically focused on parallel assessments of cognitive status in order to establish whether any disruptive effects on cognition had been documented in these trials.3 Available data indicated that no significant cognitive decline occurs after relatively short-term administration of CBMEs. …
AAN Members
We have changed the login procedure to improve access between AAN.com and the Neurology journals. If you are experiencing issues, please log out of AAN.com and clear history and cookies. (For instructions by browser, please click the instruction pages below). After clearing, choose preferred Journal and select login for AAN Members. You will be redirected to a login page where you can log in with your AAN ID number and password. When you are returned to the Journal, your name should appear at the top right of the page.
AAN Non-Member Subscribers
Purchase access
Letters: Rapid online correspondence
REQUIREMENTS
You must ensure that your Disclosures have been updated within the previous six months. Please go to our Submission Site to add or update your Disclosure information.
Your co-authors must send a completed Publishing Agreement Form to Neurology Staff (not necessary for the lead/corresponding author as the form below will suffice) before you upload your comment.
If you are responding to a comment that was written about an article you originally authored:
You (and co-authors) do not need to fill out forms or check disclosures as author forms are still valid
and apply to letter.
Submission specifications:
- Submissions must be < 200 words with < 5 references. Reference 1 must be the article on which you are commenting.
- Submissions should not have more than 5 authors. (Exception: original author replies can include all original authors of the article)
- Submit only on articles published within 6 months of issue date.
- Do not be redundant. Read any comments already posted on the article prior to submission.
- Submitted comments are subject to editing and editor review prior to posting.
You May Also be Interested in
Hastening the Diagnosis of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Dr. Brian Callaghan and Dr. Kellen Quigg