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Yan X, Bedillion MF, Claus ED, Huang-Pollock C, Ansell EB. Sex differences in the prospective association of excessively long reaction times and hazardous cannabis use at six months. Addict Behav Rep 2024; 20:100558. [PMID: 39027408 PMCID: PMC11252613 DOI: 10.1016/j.abrep.2024.100558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2024] [Revised: 06/02/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective The neurocognitive risk mechanisms predicting divergent outcomes likely differ between men and women who use cannabis recreationally. Increasingly, the use of descriptive distributions including the ex-Gaussian has been applied to draw stronger inferences about neurocognitive health in clinical populations. The current project examines whether the long tail of reaction times (RTs) in a distribution, as characterized by the ex-Gaussian parameter tau which may represent difficulty with the regulation of arousal, predicts problematic cannabis use 6 months later in those who use cannabis recreationally, and whether sex moderates these prospective associations. Method Young adults (ages 18-30, mean age 20.5 years, N =159, 57.2% women, 69.2% Caucasian) who recreationally used cannabis either occasionally (at least once per month) or frequently (three times or more per week) completed the Stroop Color-Word Task at baseline. Ex-Gaussian parameter tau was estimated for each participant. Self-report of hazardous cannabis use (CUDIT-R) and dysregulation of negative (DERS) and positive emotions (DERS-Positive) were obtained at baseline and 6-month follow-up. Results For those with larger tau at baseline, being a man (but not a woman) was associated with increased difficulty regulating positive emotions concurrently (b = -0.01, F (1,159) = 5.48, p = 0.02), and with hazardous cannabis use six months later (b = -0.007, F (1,159) = 4.42, p = 0.037) after controlling for baseline hazardous cannabis use. Conclusions Excessively long RTs during cognitive performance may help characterize men at risk for increased hazardous use, which contributes to understanding between-sex heterogeneity in pathways towards cannabis use disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu Yan
- Department of Psychology, The Pennsylvania State University, United States
| | - Margaret F. Bedillion
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, United States
| | - Eric D. Claus
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, United States
| | | | - Emily B. Ansell
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, United States
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Pirnia B, Soleimani A, Farhoudian A, Zahiroddin A. Prediction of suicidal thoughts and behaviors based on the diurnal cortisol pattern and THC dosage in continued cannabis users, a 5 year population-based matched cohort study. Psychiatry Res 2024; 339:116091. [PMID: 39068898 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2024.116091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 07/02/2024] [Accepted: 07/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
It appears that the THC dosage is the link between dysregulation of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis and suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STB). We proposed a new model to understand the underlying pathophysiological mechanism of STB based on the interaction of cortisol and THC dosage. From September 1, 2019, to January 1, 2024, we conducted a population-based, matched-pair, nested case-control study resulting from a three-wave complete longitudinal, multicenter cohort study on a sample of congress 60 clients. A total of 368 male continued cannabis users (CCu) were allocated to four categories, including low, moderate and high THC dosages and relapse, using optimal matching. Several HPA axis measures were analyzed in the saliva using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS), and carboxylic acids levels in the urine were assessed via gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS). We used structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine the relationship between the variables of interest and the model fit test, and used the Akaike information criterion (AIC) to compare the model fit and select the best-fitting model. Population attributable fractions (PAFs) and cumulative risk score were also calculated for the best-fitting pattern. The analysis showed that the likelihood of STB in individuals with a cortisol awakening response (CAR) and a blunted diurnal cortisol slope (DCS) and higher area under the curve (AUC) who reported heavy cannabis use was more than three times higher than the control group (OR 3.2, 95 % CI 2.4-4.1). These findings indicate the importance of the specific cortisol secretion pattern in the increased clinical expression of STB and may be an important factor for guiding preventive efforts in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bijan Pirnia
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities, University of Science and Culture, Tehran, Iran; Behavioral Sciences Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali Soleimani
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities, University of Science and Culture, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Ali Farhoudian
- Department of Psychiatry, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Alireza Zahiroddin
- Department of Psychiatry, Behavioral Sciences Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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3
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Gilliland K. It's Not "Just Weed" Anymore. J Med Chem 2024. [PMID: 39145761 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.4c01854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/16/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Kristen Gilliland
- Basic Sciences, Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Franklin, Tennessee 37067, United States
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Crowley R, Cline K, Hilden D, Beachy M. Regulatory Framework for Cannabis: A Position Paper From the American College of Physicians. Ann Intern Med 2024; 177:1104-1105. [PMID: 39038289 DOI: 10.7326/m24-0638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Cannabis, also known as marijuana, is the dried flowers, stems, seeds, and leaves of the Cannabis sativa plant. It contains more than 100 compounds, including tetrahydrocannabinol, which has psychoactive effects. Federal law prohibits the possession, distribution, and use of cannabis outside limited research activities, but most states have legalized cannabis for medical or recreational use. However, research into the potential therapeutic and adverse health effects of cannabis has been limited, in part because of the drug's federal legal status. In this position paper, the American College of Physicians (ACP) calls for the decriminalization of possession of small amounts of cannabis for personal use and outlines a public health approach to controlling cannabis in jurisdictions where it is legal. ACP recommends the rigorous evaluation of the health effects and potential therapeutic uses of cannabis and cannabinoids as well as research into the effects of legalization on cannabis use. It also calls for evidence-based medical education related to cannabis and increased resources for treatment of cannabis use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Crowley
- American College of Physicians, Washington, DC (R.C., K.C.)
| | - Katelan Cline
- American College of Physicians, Washington, DC (R.C., K.C.)
| | - David Hilden
- Hennepin Healthcare, Minneapolis, Minnesota (D.H.)
| | - Micah Beachy
- University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska (M.B.)
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5
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Macedo I, Paiva TO, Pasion R, Daedelow L, Heinz A, Magalhães A, Banaschewski T, Bokde ALW, Desrivières S, Flor H, Grigis A, Garavan H, Gowland P, Brühl R, Martinot JL, Martinot MLP, Artiges E, Nees F, Orfanos DP, Paus T, Poustka L, Hohmann S, Holz N, Fröhner JH, Smolka MN, Vaidya N, Walter H, Whelan R, Schumann G, Barbosa F. Light Cannabis Use and the Adolescent Brain: An 8-years Longitudinal Assessment of Mental Health, Cognition, and Reward Processing. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2024; 241:1447-1461. [PMID: 38532040 PMCID: PMC11199211 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-024-06575-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
RATIONALE For decades, cannabis has been the most widely used illicit substance in the world, particularly among youth. Research suggests that mental health problems associated with cannabis use may result from its effect on reward brain circuit, emotional processes, and cognition. However, findings are mostly derived from correlational studies and inconsistent, particularly in adolescents. OBJECTIVES AND METHODS Using data from the IMAGEN study, participants (non-users, persistent users, abstinent users) were classified according to their cannabis use at 19 and 22 years-old. All participants were cannabis-naïve at baseline (14 years-old). Psychopathological symptoms, cognitive performance, and brain activity while performing a Monetary Incentive Delay task were used as predictors of substance use and to analyze group differences over time. RESULTS Higher scores on conduct problems and lower on peer problems at 14 years-old (n = 318) predicted a greater likelihood of transitioning to cannabis use within 5 years. At 19 years of age, individuals who consistently engaged in low-frequency (i.e., light) cannabis use (n = 57) exhibited greater conduct problems and hyperactivity/inattention symptoms compared to non-users (n = 52) but did not differ in emotional symptoms, cognitive functioning, or brain activity during the MID task. At 22 years, those who used cannabis at both 19 and 22 years-old n = 17), but not individuals that had been abstinent for ≥ 1 month (n = 19), reported higher conduct problems than non-users (n = 17). CONCLUSIONS Impairments in reward-related brain activity and cognitive functioning do not appear to precede or succeed cannabis use (i.e., weekly, or monthly use). Cannabis-naïve adolescents with conduct problems and more socially engaged with their peers may be at a greater risk for lighter yet persistent cannabis use in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inês Macedo
- Laboratory of Neuropsychophysiology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences (Laboratory of Neuropsychophysiology), University of Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal.
- Addiction Biology Group, i3S-Instituto de Investigação E Inovação Em Saúde, Porto, Portugal.
| | | | - Rita Pasion
- HEI-LAB, Lusófona University, Porto, Portugal
| | - Laura Daedelow
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy CCM, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, and Berlin, Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Andreas Heinz
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy CCM, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, and Berlin, Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ana Magalhães
- Addiction Biology Group, i3S-Instituto de Investigação E Inovação Em Saúde, Porto, Portugal
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular E Celular (IBMC), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas de Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Tobias Banaschewski
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Square J5, 68159, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Arun L W Bokde
- Discipline of Psychiatry, School of Medicine and Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Sylvane Desrivières
- Centre for Population Neuroscience and Precision Medicine (PONS), Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, SGDP Centre, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Herta Flor
- Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Square J5, Mannheim, Germany
- Department of Psychology, School of Social Sciences, University of Mannheim, 68131, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Antoine Grigis
- NeuroSpin, CEA, Université Paris-Saclay, 91191, Gif-Sur-Yvette, France
| | - Hugh Garavan
- Departments of Psychiatry and Psychology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, 05405, USA
| | - Penny Gowland
- Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, UK
| | - Rüdiger Brühl
- Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, Braunschweig und Berlin, Germany
| | - Jean-Luc Martinot
- Institut National de La Santé Et de La Recherche Médicale, INSERM U 1299 Trajectoires Développementales & Psychiatrie, CNRS; EcoleNormaleSupérieure Paris-Saclay, Centre Borelli, University Paris-Saclay, Gif-Sur-Yvette, France
| | - Marie-Laure Paillère Martinot
- Institut National de La Santé Et de La Recherche Médicale, INSERM U 1299 Trajectoires Développementales & Psychiatrie, University Paris-Saclay, CNRS; Ecole Normale Supérieure Paris-Saclay, Centre Borelli; Gif-Sur-Yvette, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, and AP-HP. Sorbonne University, Paris, France
| | - Eric Artiges
- Institut National de La Santé Et de La Recherche Médicale, INSERM U 1299 Trajectoires Développementales & Psychiatrie, CNRS; EcoleNormaleSupérieure Paris-Saclay, Centre Borelli; Gif-Sur-Yvette; and Psychiatry Department, EPS Barthélémy Durand, University Paris-Saclay, Etampes, France
| | - Frauke Nees
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Square J5, 68159, Mannheim, Germany
- Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Square J5, Mannheim, Germany
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University Medical Center Schleswig Holstein, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
| | | | - Tomáš Paus
- Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine and Centre Hosptalier, Universitaire Sainte-Justine, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Departments of Psychiatry and Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Luise Poustka
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Centre Göttingen, Von-Siebold-Str. 5, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Sarah Hohmann
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Nathalie Holz
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Square J5, 68159, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Juliane H Fröhner
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroimaging Center, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Michael N Smolka
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroimaging Center, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Nilakshi Vaidya
- Centre for Population Neuroscience and Stratified Medicine (PONS), Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Charité Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Henrik Walter
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy CCM, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, and Berlin, Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Robert Whelan
- School of Psychology and Global Brain Health Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Gunter Schumann
- Centre for Population Neuroscience and Stratified Medicine (PONS), Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Charité Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany
- Centre for Population Neuroscience and Precision Medicine (PONS), Institute for Science and Technology of Brain-Inspired Intelligence (ISTBI), Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Fernando Barbosa
- Laboratory of Neuropsychophysiology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences (Laboratory of Neuropsychophysiology), University of Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal
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Volkow ND, Compton WM, Blanco C, Einstein EB, Han B. Associations of cannabis use, use frequency, and cannabis use disorder with violent behavior among young adults in the United States. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2024; 128:104431. [PMID: 38677161 PMCID: PMC11213661 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2024.104431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Most violent crimes (52 %) are committed by adults aged 18-34, who account for 23 % of the US population and have the highest prevalence of cannabis use and cannabis use disorder (CUD). We examined whether and how associations of cannabis use, use frequency, and CUD with violent behavior (i.e., attacking someone with the intent to harm seriously) vary by sex in U.S. young adults. METHODS Data were from 113,454 participants aged 18-34 in the 2015-2019 US National Surveys on Drug Use and Health, providing nationally representative data on cannabis use, CUD (using DSM-IV criteria), and violent behavior. Descriptive analyses and bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted. RESULTS Among U.S. adults aged 18-34, 28.9 % (95 % CI = 28.5-29.2 %) reported past-year cannabis use (with/without CUD), including 20.5 % (95 % CI = 20.2-20.8 %) with non-daily cannabis without CUD, 4.7 % (95 % CI = 4.5-4.8 %) with daily cannabis use without CUD, 2.1 % (95 % CI = 1.9-2.2 %) with non-daily cannabis use and CUD, and 1.7 % (95 % CI = 1.5-1.8 %) with daily cannabis use and CUD. Past-year adjusted prevalence of violent behavior was higher among males with daily cannabis use but without CUD (2.9 %, 95 % CI = 2.4-2.7 %; adjusted prevalence ratio (PR) = 1.7, 95 % CI = 1.3-2.2) and males with daily cannabis use and CUD (3.1 %, 95 % CI = 2.3-4.0 %; adjusted PR = 1.8, 95 % CI = 1.3-2.4) than males without past-year cannabis use (1.7 %, 95 % CI = 1.6-1.9 %). Adjusted prevalence of violent behavior was higher among females with cannabis use regardless of daily cannabis use/CUD status (adjusted prevalence = 1.6-2.4 %, 95 % CIs = 0.9-3.2 %; adjusted PRs = 1.6-2.4, 95 % CI = 1.3-3.2) than females without past-year cannabis use (1.0 %, 95 % CI = 0.9-1.1 %). CONCLUSIONS Research is needed to ascertain the directionality of the associations between cannabis use and violent behavior and underlying sex-specific mechanism(s). Our results point to complex sex-specific relationships between cannabis use frequency, CUD, and violent behavior and highlight the importance of early screening for and treatment of CUD and of preventive interventions addressing cannabis misuse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nora D Volkow
- National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Wilson M Compton
- National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Carlos Blanco
- National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Emily B Einstein
- National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Beth Han
- National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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Haller J. Herbal Cannabis and Depression: A Review of Findings Published over the Last Three Years. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2024; 17:689. [PMID: 38931356 PMCID: PMC11206863 DOI: 10.3390/ph17060689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2024] [Revised: 05/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Public perception contrasts scientific findings on the depression-related effects of cannabis. However, earlier studies were performed when cannabis was predominantly illegal, its production was mostly uncontrolled, and the idea of medical cannabis was incipient only. We hypothesized that recent changes in attitudes and legislations may have favorably affected research. In addition, publication bias against cannabis may have also decreased. To investigate this hypothesis, we conducted a review of research studies published over the last three years. We found 156 relevant research articles. In most cross-sectional studies, depression was higher in those who consumed cannabis than in those who did not. An increase in cannabis consumption was typically followed by an increase in depression, whereas withdrawal from cannabis ameliorated depression in most cases. Although medical cannabis reduced depression in most studies, none of these were placebo-controlled. In clinical studies published in the same period, the placebo also ameliorated depression and, in addition, the average effect size of the placebo was larger than the average effect size of medical cannabis. We also investigated the plausibility of the antidepressant effects of cannabis by reviewing molecular and pharmacological studies. Taken together, the reviewed findings do not support the antidepressant effects of herbal cannabis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jozsef Haller
- Drug Research Institute, 1137 Budapest, Hungary;
- Department of Criminal Psychology, Faculty of Law Enforcement, Ludovika University of Public Service, 1083 Budapest, Hungary
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8
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Mosandl CF, Baltes-Flückiger L, Kronschnabel J, Meyer M, Guessoum A, Herrmann O, Vogel M, Walter M, Pichler EM. Cannabis use and its association with psychopathological symptoms in a Swiss adult population: a cross-sectional analysis. Front Public Health 2024; 12:1356988. [PMID: 38841675 PMCID: PMC11151851 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1356988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Background As the most commonly used illicit substance, cannabis is gaining global acceptance through increasing legalization efforts. This shift intensifies the need for research to guide policymakers and healthcare providers in harm reduction and treatment strategies. Nonetheless, the relationship between psychopathological symptoms and cannabis use remains inadequately understood. Methods A sample of regular cannabis consumers completed self-reported assessments for depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9), anxiety (General Anxiety Disorder-7), Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD; Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale V1.1), and psychosis (Early Recognition Inventory based on IRAOS) as well as previous black-market cannabis use patterns. Cannabis Use Disorder Identification Test Revised (CUDIT-R) was used to identify cannabis use disorder (CUD). To understand psychopathological symptom load related to cannabis consumption as well as cannabis use motives, multiple regression models were performed to identify psychopathological variables predicting cannabis use frequency and quantity. Linear regression and correlation analyses were conducted, adjusting for relevant covariates (age, gender, education, alcohol, other substance use). Results Three-hundred-sixty regular cannabis users interested in a study on regulated cannabis access in Basel, Switzerland were examined. In bivariate analysis, cannabis use frequency correlated with depressive (r(358) = 0.16, p = 0.003) and anxiety symptom load (r(358) = 0.11, p = 0.034). Cannabis quantity correlated with depressive (r(358) = 0.15, p = 0.005), ADHD (r(358) = 0.14, p = 0.008), and psychosis symptom load (r(358) = 0.16, p = 0.002). However, in the adjusted regression models only depressive and ADHD symptom loads were significantly associated with cannabis use frequency (p = 0.006 and p = 0.034, respectively) and quantity (p = 0.037 and p = 0.019, respectively). No significant correlations between cannabis consumption and anxiety or psychosis remained after adjustment. Conclusion ADHD and depressive symptoms correlate with increased cannabis use in a cohort of regular users, suggesting potential self-medication in nonclinical populations. With the rising availability of cannabis worldwide, these results highlight the necessity for longitudinal studies to disentangle the complex dynamics between cannabis consumption and mental health symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoph Felix Mosandl
- Clinic of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Psychiatric Services Aargau, Windisch, Switzerland
- Department of Addictive Disorders, University Psychiatric Clinics Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Jens Kronschnabel
- Clinic of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Psychiatric Services Aargau, Windisch, Switzerland
| | - Maximilian Meyer
- Department of Addictive Disorders, University Psychiatric Clinics Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Adrian Guessoum
- Department of Addictive Disorders, University Psychiatric Clinics Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Oliver Herrmann
- Department of Addictive Disorders, University Psychiatric Clinics Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Marc Vogel
- Department of Addictive Disorders, University Psychiatric Clinics Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Marc Walter
- Clinic of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Psychiatric Services Aargau, Windisch, Switzerland
| | - Eva-Maria Pichler
- Clinic of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Psychiatric Services Aargau, Windisch, Switzerland
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9
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Avramescu RG, Hernandez G, Flores C. Rewiring the future: drugs abused in adolescence may predispose to mental illness in adult life by altering dopamine axon growth. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2024; 131:461-467. [PMID: 38036858 PMCID: PMC11055695 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-023-02722-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Adolescence is a period of increased exploration and novelty-seeking, which includes new social behaviors, as well as drug experimentation, often spurred on by peer pressure. This is unfortunate, as the immature state of the adolescent brain makes it particularly susceptible to the negative developmental impact of drug use. During adolescence, dopamine terminals, which have migrated from the ventral tegmental area, pause in the nucleus accumbens, before segregating by either forming local connections or growing towards the prefrontal cortex (PFC). This developmentally late and lengthy process renders adolescent dopamine axon pathfinding vulnerable to disruption by substance use. Indeed, exposure to stimulant drugs in adolescent male mice, but not females, triggers dopamine axons to mistarget the nucleus accumbens and to grow ectopically to the PFC. Some evidence suggests that at this novel site, the functional organization of the ectopic dopamine axons mirrors that of the intended target. The structural rewiring dysregulates local synaptic connectivity, leading to poor impulse control ability, deficits of which are a core symptom of substance-use disorders. In the present commentary, we argue that different substances of abuse induce dopamine mistargeting events with the off-target trajectory prescribed by the type of drug, leading to psychiatric outcomes later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Giovanni Hernandez
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Cecilia Flores
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics & Mental Health, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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10
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Weitzman ER, Minegishi M, Wisk LE, Levy S. Substance Use and Educational Impacts in Youth With and Without Chronic Illness. Am J Prev Med 2024; 66:279-290. [PMID: 37802307 DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2023.09.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/08/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Alcohol, cannabis, and nicotine are commonly used psychoactive substances that affect adolescent neurocognition. Little is known about the educational impacts of their use on measures of educational performance, participation and problems, especially among youth with a chronic illness who may use these substances to alleviate stress and symptoms. METHODS Adolescents receiving general or subspecialty care were administered an electronic survey from 2016 to 2018. Data were analyzed in 2023. Using modified Poisson models, cross-sectional associations between past 12-month usage of alcohol, cannabis, and/or nicotine and educational impacts were estimated. RESULTS Among 958 adolescents (mean age 16.0 years (SD 1.3), 564 (58.9%) female gender, 445 (46.5%) in subspecialty care), 294 (30.7%), 220 (23.0%), and 126 (13.2%) reported past 12-month use of alcohol, cannabis, and nicotine respectively, while 407 (42.5%) reported ≥1 educational impact, including recent lower grades 210 (21.9%), past 3-month truancy from school 164 (17.1%) or activities 170 (17.7%), and detention 82 (8.6%). Use of cannabis, but not other substances, was associated with negative educational impacts: lower grades (mostly C's/D's/F's), adjusted prevalence ratios [APR, (95% CI)] 1.54 (1.13-2.11); past 3-month truancy from school [2.16 (1.52-3.07)]; detention [2.29 (1.33-3.94)]. The association between cannabis use and any negative educational impact was stronger among adolescents with a chronic illness (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS Among adolescents, cannabis use was associated with a heightened risk of negative educational impacts, even after controlling for alcohol and nicotine use. Adolescents with chronic illness were especially likely to experience negative educational impacts. Findings underscore need for preventive interventions and messaging to reduce risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elissa R Weitzman
- Division of Addiction Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Division of Adolescent/Young Adult Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Computational Health Informatics Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
| | - Machiko Minegishi
- Division of Addiction Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Lauren E Wisk
- Division of General Internal Medicine and Health Services Research, University of California Los Angeles, David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California
| | - Sharon Levy
- Division of Addiction Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
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Oza A. Is cannabis bad for teens? Here's what the data say. Nature 2023; 624:240-242. [PMID: 38082062 DOI: 10.1038/d41586-023-03860-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
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