The mismatch negativity: A translational probe of auditory processing in cannabis users

摘要

Acute cannabis or tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) intoxication is frequently accompanied by distortions of auditory perception and, less frequently, by auditory hallucinations. The behavioral correlates of these auditory distortions and their neural basis are not well understood. Cannabinoid receptors are abundant in the human auditory cortex, with higher levels for secondary cortex relative to primary sensory cortex (1). Despite the presence of cannabinoid receptors in the auditory cortices, psychophysical studies of thresholds for single features such as pure-tone frequency have not detected consistent differences during cannabis intoxication, suggesting that subjective auditory distortions may originate from more complex perceptual or cognitive operations (2).