Cannabis and creativity: highly potent cannabis impairs divergent thinking in regular cannabis users. 2015

Mikael A Kowal, and Arno Hazekamp, and Lorenza S Colzato, and Henk van Steenbergen, and Nic J A van der Wee, and Jeffrey Durieux, and Meriem Manai, and Bernhard Hommel
Cognitive Psychology Unit, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, PO Box 9555, 2300 RB, Leiden, The Netherlands, m.a.kowal@fsw.leidenuniv.nl.

BACKGROUND Cannabis users often claim that cannabis has the potential to enhance their creativity. Research suggests that aspects of creative performance might be improved when intoxicated with cannabis; however, the evidence is not conclusive. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to investigate the acute effects of cannabis on creativity. METHODS We examined the effects of administering a low (5.5 mg delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol [THC]) or high (22 mg THC) dose of vaporized cannabis vs. placebo on creativity tasks tapping into divergent (Alternate Uses Task) and convergent (Remote Associates Task) thinking, in a population of regular cannabis users. The study used a randomized, double-blind, between-groups design. RESULTS Participants in the high-dose group (n = 18) displayed significantly worse performance on the divergent thinking task, compared to individuals in both the low-dose (n = 18) and placebo (n = 18) groups. CONCLUSIONS The findings suggest that cannabis with low potency does not have any impact on creativity, while highly potent cannabis actually impairs divergent thinking.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D008385 Marijuana Smoking Inhaling and exhaling SMOKE from CANNABIS. Cannabis Smoking,Hashish Smoking,Marihuana Smoking,Smoking Blunts,Smoking, Blunts,Blunt, Smoking,Blunts Smoking,Blunts Smokings,Blunts, Smoking,Smoking Blunt,Smoking, Cannabis,Smoking, Hashish,Smoking, Marihuana,Smoking, Marijuana,Smokings, Blunts
D011597 Psychomotor Performance The coordination of a sensory or ideational (cognitive) process and a motor activity. Perceptual Motor Performance,Sensory Motor Performance,Visual Motor Coordination,Coordination, Visual Motor,Coordinations, Visual Motor,Motor Coordination, Visual,Motor Coordinations, Visual,Motor Performance, Perceptual,Motor Performance, Sensory,Motor Performances, Perceptual,Motor Performances, Sensory,Perceptual Motor Performances,Performance, Perceptual Motor,Performance, Psychomotor,Performance, Sensory Motor,Performances, Perceptual Motor,Performances, Psychomotor,Performances, Sensory Motor,Psychomotor Performances,Sensory Motor Performances,Visual Motor Coordinations
D003405 Creativity The ability to generate new ideas or images. Creativeness,Innovativeness,Originality,Artistic Creativity,Creative Ability,Creative Thinking,Ability, Creative,Creative Abilities,Creativity, Artistic,Thinking, Creative
D004305 Dose-Response Relationship, Drug The relationship between the dose of an administered drug and the response of the organism to the drug. Dose Response Relationship, Drug,Dose-Response Relationships, Drug,Drug Dose-Response Relationship,Drug Dose-Response Relationships,Relationship, Drug Dose-Response,Relationships, Drug Dose-Response
D004311 Double-Blind Method A method of studying a drug or procedure in which both the subjects and investigators are kept unaware of who is actually getting which specific treatment. Double-Masked Study,Double-Blind Study,Double-Masked Method,Double Blind Method,Double Blind Study,Double Masked Method,Double Masked Study,Double-Blind Methods,Double-Blind Studies,Double-Masked Methods,Double-Masked Studies,Method, Double-Blind,Method, Double-Masked,Methods, Double-Blind,Methods, Double-Masked,Studies, Double-Blind,Studies, Double-Masked,Study, Double-Blind,Study, Double-Masked
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000293 Adolescent A person 13 to 18 years of age. Adolescence,Youth,Adolescents,Adolescents, Female,Adolescents, Male,Teenagers,Teens,Adolescent, Female,Adolescent, Male,Female Adolescent,Female Adolescents,Male Adolescent,Male Adolescents,Teen,Teenager,Youths
D013759 Dronabinol A psychoactive compound extracted from the resin of Cannabis sativa (marihuana, hashish). The isomer delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is considered the most active form, producing characteristic mood and perceptual changes associated with this compound. THC,Tetrahydrocannabinol,delta(9)-THC,9-ene-Tetrahydrocannabinol,Marinol,Tetrahydrocannabinol, (6a-trans)-Isomer,Tetrahydrocannabinol, (6aR-cis)-Isomer,Tetrahydrocannabinol, (6aS-cis)-Isomer,Tetrahydrocannabinol, Trans-(+-)-Isomer,Tetrahydrocannabinol, Trans-Isomer,delta(1)-THC,delta(1)-Tetrahydrocannabinol,delta(9)-Tetrahydrocannabinol,9 ene Tetrahydrocannabinol,Tetrahydrocannabinol, Trans Isomer

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