As noted, although previous investigations have reported altered cortical function in marijuana smokers during the completion of primarily cognitive-based tasks using fMRI techniques, and many have focused on the physiologic changes secondary to either acute oral or smoked marijuana, none thus far have focused on the effects of chronic marijuana use on affective processing. Given the behavioral alterations often demonstrated by marijuana smokers, and their difficulty in appropriately judging emotional and affective cues, it is likely that processing differences are present in this population. Further, given the pattern of high CB-1 receptor density within frontal and limbic regions, functions subserved by these regions, including affective processing, may very well be affected by chronic, heavy exposure to marijuana.
