The effects of exercise intervention on cannabis use disorder: a multi-modal MRI investigation

This thesis examines the effects of a 12-week exercise intervention on brain structure, primarily on WM connectivity and, exploratory, grey matter in individuals with cannabis use disorder (CUD). It begins with a general introduction, followed by three empirical chapters comprising both published and submitted work. These studies demonstrate that CUD disrupts WM pathways essential for cognition and emotional regulation. However, targeted exercise interventions can restore CUD-related brain changes by enhancing WM connectivity and cortical thickness. This work provides novel evidence that exercise is a practical, accessible intervention for CUD, with important implications for clinical practice and public health policy.