Nootropic Cannabis Research Library

Grown Folks 502 is committed to advancing the understanding of cannabis as a nootropic, emphasizing its potential effects on creativity, focus, relaxation, and overall cognitive performance. As part of our mission to support responsible cognitive exploration, we invite researchers to participate in exploring these effects by conducting studies using a standardized approach.

If you are interested in investigating the cognitive effects of cannabis and are willing to follow standardized and legal research and publishing methods, we encourage you to use the following reputable cognitive tests to evaluate domains like attention, memory, executive function, and creativity:

Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT), Digit Span (Forward and Backward), Continuous Performance Test (CPT), Stroop Color-Word Test, Trail Making Test (TMT), Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), Tower of London Task, N-back Task, Task-Switching Test, Iowa Gambling Task (IGT), Alternate Uses Task (AUT), Remote Associates Test (RAT), Emotional Stroop Test, Go/No-Go Task, Finger Tapping Test, Purdue Pegboard Test, Pupillometry, Profile of Mood States (POMS)

These tests have been selected for their reliability and relevance to measuring both potential cognitive benefits and impairments associated with cannabis use. Researchers are encouraged to share their findings with this community to help build a comprehensive understanding of the effects of cannabis on cognition.

(More information on these tests below.)

If you choose to publish your results, please ensure adherence to ethical guidelines and legal regulations in cannabis research. We hope to build a data-driven foundation for understanding cannabis’ role in cognitive enhancement—whether to further our collective knowledge or to offer insights for responsible use.

By contributing your research, you join us in promoting a future where cannabis is understood not just for recreation, but for its potential to enhance the cognitive experience responsibly.

Let’s work together to understand the full potential of cannabis as a cognitive enhancer.

Reputable Cognitive Test Bank

Memory

Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT): This test evaluates short-term auditory memory, learning, and recall ability. It is frequently used to assess cannabis' impact on episodic memory and learning capacity.

Digit Span (Forward and Backward): A subtest of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS), it measures working memory by asking participants to recall sequences of numbers either in the order presented (forward) or in reverse order (backward).

Attention and Processing Speed

Continuous Performance Test (CPT): Used to measure sustained attention and response inhibition, this test is ideal for assessing whether cannabis use affects an individual’s ability to stay focused over extended periods.

Stroop Color-Word Test: This evaluates selective attention and cognitive flexibility by asking participants to read color names or identify the color of printed words, often measuring the effect of cannabis on executive control and inhibition.

Trail Making Test (TMT): This test measures processing speed and cognitive flexibility. Part A involves connecting numbers in sequence, while Part B involves alternating between numbers and letters. TMT is sensitive to changes in attention and executive function.

Executive Function

Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST): This test assesses problem-solving, abstract thinking, and cognitive flexibility. Participants are asked to match cards based on rules that change without warning, requiring them to adapt to new patterns—useful for examining the effects of cannabis on decision-making and adaptability.

Tower of London Task: A neuropsychological task to assess planning and problem-solving abilities. This can be used to determine the effects of cannabis on the ability to devise and execute strategies.

Working Memory

N-back Task: This is a popular measure of working memory, where participants must identify whether a current stimulus matches one presented 'n' steps earlier in a sequence. This test helps to understand how cannabis may impact the mental manipulation of information over short periods.

Cognitive Flexibility and Set-Shifting

Switching Paradigms (e.g., Task-Switching Test): Measures cognitive flexibility and the ability to switch between different tasks or sets of rules. Cannabis may affect the ability to switch mental gears, and this test is sensitive to those changes.

Iowa Gambling Task (IGT): This measures decision-making under uncertainty. Participants choose cards from different decks with varying levels of reward and risk, allowing researchers to evaluate risk-taking behaviors and judgment under the influence of cannabis.

Creativity

Alternate Uses Task (AUT): Measures divergent thinking, which is a key component of creativity. Participants are asked to think of as many uses as possible for an everyday object (e.g., a brick), allowing researchers to assess cannabis' impact on creative thought processes.

Remote Associates Test (RAT): This test is used to assess convergent thinking, which involves finding a common link between seemingly unrelated words. Cannabis' effect on problem-solving creativity can be observed using this type of assessment.

Emotional and Cognitive Control

Emotional Stroop Test: Similar to the classic Stroop Test, this variant uses emotionally charged words to assess how well participants can ignore emotional interference. This can be used to examine how cannabis impacts emotional regulation and cognitive control.

Go/No-Go Task: This test is used to evaluate response inhibition and impulse control. It involves pressing a button in response to certain stimuli while refraining from pressing it for others, which is useful for understanding cannabis' effect on impulsivity.

Psychomotor Function

Finger Tapping Test: Measures motor speed and coordination. Cannabis might affect physical and motor abilities, and this test can be a simple yet effective measure of how fine motor control changes under its influence.

Purdue Pegboard Test: A measure of dexterity and coordination, this test can help assess any cannabis-induced impairments in fine motor skills.

Physiological and Emotional Measures

Pupillometry: Measuring changes in pupil size as a proxy for cognitive load can provide insight into how cannabis affects mental effort during tasks.

Profile of Mood States (POMS): This self-reported questionnaire measures different mood states, which can give insight into how cannabis influences mood and correlates with cognitive performance.

Why These Tests Are Effective for Cannabis Studies

Standardization: These tests are widely accepted, standardized, and have well-established norms that make them useful for comparing performance between cannabis users and non-users.

Sensitivity: They are sensitive to detecting changes across various cognitive domains—such as attention, memory, and executive function—which are often impacted by cannabis use.

Contextual Relevance: Given that cannabis has varying effects depending on the dose, the test selection should include those sensitive enough to detect enhancements or impairments at different dosage levels.

Combining these tests in a well-designed study would provide a comprehensive evaluation of the cognitive effects of cannabis, helping researchers to distinguish between nootropic-like benefits (e.g., enhanced creativity and relaxation) and potential drawbacks (e.g., impaired memory or reduced impulse control).

Research

FDA Regulation and Quality Considerations for Cannabis and Cannabis-Derived Compounds CDER Small Business and Industry Assistance Chronicles 

Interactions between recreational cannabis use and cognitive function: lessons from functional magnetic resonance imaging 

Marijuana Matters: Reviewing the Impact of Marijuana on Cognition, Brain Structure and Function, & Exploring Policy Implications and Barriers to Research 

Dr. Staci Gruber at MIND

CannaCount: an improved metric for quantifying estimates of maximum possible cannabinoid exposure