Cannabis use and sex differences in memory and thinking for adults 50–80
Official title: Sex Differences in Risk of Cognitive Decline in Older Cannabis Users
Funded at Medical University of South Carolina · NIH-11166358 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether regular cannabis use affects memory and thinking differently in men and women aged 50 to 80.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Medical University of South Carolina NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Charleston, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2002 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $256,238 |
| NIH project number | 5U54DA016511-23 |
| Project ID | NIH-11166358 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults aged 50–80 who regularly use cannabis and are willing to complete cognitive testing and provide blood or saliva samples.
✕Less likely to help
People who do not use cannabis, are younger than 50, or who are seeking an experimental treatment for dementia would not directly benefit from participating in this observational project.
What this research studies
If you join, the team will enroll 200 adults aged 50–80 who regularly use cannabis and ask about your cannabis use and reproductive history. You will complete cognitive and mood tests, answer questions about stress, and provide biological samples for hormone and other brain-health markers. The researchers will compare results between men and women to see if hormonal changes or stress relate to memory decline and dementia risk. The goal is to link behavioral and biological measures to better understand who may be at higher risk.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: This work could help show whether older women who use cannabis face higher risk for cognitive decline, leading to clearer guidance and prevention for patients.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies in younger people and animal models have shown sex and hormone links with cannabis effects, but few studies have examined these questions in older adults, so this builds on existing findings in a new age group.
Where this research is happening
-
Medical University of South Carolina
Charleston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mcrae-Clark, Aimee L — Medical University of South Carolina
- Study coordinator: Mcrae-Clark, Aimee L
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.