1
|
Wallace AL, Huestis MA, Sullivan RM, Wade NE. Amygdala volume and depression symptoms in young adolescents who use cannabis. Behav Brain Res 2024; 472:115150. [PMID: 39009188 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2024.115150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2024] [Revised: 06/20/2024] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/17/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Both cannabis use and depressive symptomology increase in prevalence throughout adolescence. Concurrently, the brain is undergoing neurodevelopment in important limbic regions, such as the amygdala. Prior research indicates the amygdala may also be related to cannabis use and depressive symptoms. We aimed to investigate the effects of adolescent cannabis use on amygdala volumes as well as the interaction of cannabis use and amygdala morphometry on depressive symptoms in youth. METHOD Two-hundred-twenty-four participants (ages 12-15), balanced by sex assigned at birth, were selected from a sub-sample of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study based on hair toxicology and self-report measures of cannabis use. Participants positive for cannabinoids in hair and/or self-reported cannabis use were demographically matched to youth with no self-reported or confirmed cannabis use. The guardians of these youth reported depression symptoms on the Child Behavioral Checklist. Linear mixed effect models were run investigating cannabis use group on amygdala volumes bilaterally, controlling for whole brain volume and random effects of scanner type. Additional analyses examined cannabis group status and bilateral amygdala volume on depression symptoms. RESULTS Cannabis use was not significantly associated with amygdala volume but was associated with increased depressive symptoms (p<0.01). Cannabis group interacted with amygdala volume, such that individuals with smaller volumes had increased depressive symptoms within the cannabis group (p's<0.01-0.02). CONCLUSION Aberrations in amygdala volume based on cannabis use were not found in early adolescence; however, more depressive symptoms were related to cannabis group. Youth who use cannabis and have smaller amygdala volumes were at increased risk for depressive symptomology, suggesting potential neurovulnerabilities to cannabis use.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Marilyn A Huestis
- Institute of Emerging Health Professions, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Natasha E Wade
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Castelblanco CA, Springer SD, Schantell M, John JA, Coutant AT, Horne LK, Glesinger R, Eastman JA, Wilson TW. Chronic Cannabis users exhibit altered oscillatory dynamics and functional connectivity serving visuospatial processing. J Psychopharmacol 2024; 38:724-734. [PMID: 39087306 DOI: 10.1177/02698811241265764] [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] [Indexed: 08/02/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cannabis is the most widely used psychoactive drug in the United States. While multiple studies have associated acute cannabis consumption with alterations in cognitive function (e.g., visual and spatial attention), far less is known regarding the effects of chronic consumption on the neural dynamics supporting these cognitive functions. METHODS We used magnetoencephalography (MEG) and an established visuospatial processing task to elicit multi-spectral neuronal responses in 44 regular cannabis users and 53 demographically matched non-user controls. To examine the effects of chronic cannabis use on the oscillatory dynamics underlying visuospatial processing, neural responses were imaged using a time-frequency resolved beamformer and compared across groups. RESULTS Neuronal oscillations serving visuospatial processing were identified in the theta (4-8 Hz), alpha (8-14 Hz), and gamma range (56-76 Hz), and these were imaged and examined for group differences. Our key results indicated that users exhibited weaker theta oscillations in occipital and cerebellar regions and weaker gamma responses in the left temporal cortices compared to non-users. Lastly, alpha oscillations did not differ, but alpha connectivity among higher-order attention areas was weaker in cannabis users relative to non-users and correlated with performance. CONCLUSIONS Overall, these results suggest that chronic cannabis users have alterations in the oscillatory dynamics and neural connectivity serving visuospatial attention. Such alterations were observed across multiple cortical areas critical for higher-order processing and may reflect compensatory activity and/or the initial emergence of aberrant dynamics. Future work is needed to fully understand the implications of altered multispectral oscillations and neural connectivity in cannabis users.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Camilo A Castelblanco
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
- Department of Psychology and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
- Department of Neurology, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH, USA
| | - Seth D Springer
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
- College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Mikki Schantell
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
- College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Jason A John
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Anna T Coutant
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Lucy K Horne
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Ryan Glesinger
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Jacob A Eastman
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Tony W Wilson
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Creighton University, Omaha, NE, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Miller AP, Baranger DAA, Paul SE, Garavan H, Mackey S, Tapert SF, LeBlanc KH, Agrawal A, Bogdan R. Neuroanatomical variability associated with early substance use initiation: Results from the ABCD Study. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2024:2024.03.06.24303876. [PMID: 38496425 PMCID: PMC10942495 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.06.24303876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
The extent to which neuroanatomical variability associated with substance involvement reflects pre-existing risk and/or consequences of substance exposure remains poorly understood. In the Adolescent Brain Cognitive DevelopmentSM (ABCD®) Study, we identify associations between global and regional differences in brain structure and early substance use initiation (i.e., occurring <15 years of age; nsanalytic=6,556-9,804), with evidence that associations precede initiation. Neurodevelopmental variability in brain structure may confer risk for substance involvement.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alex P. Miller
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - David A. A. Baranger
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Sarah E. Paul
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Hugh Garavan
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont Lamer College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, United States
| | - Scott Mackey
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont Lamer College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, United States
| | - Susan F. Tapert
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Kimberly H. LeBlanc
- Division of Extramural Research, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Bethesda, MA, United States
| | - Arpana Agrawal
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Ryan Bogdan
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Scott JC. Impact of Adolescent Cannabis Use on Neurocognitive and Brain Development. Psychiatr Clin North Am 2023; 46:655-676. [PMID: 37879830 DOI: 10.1016/j.psc.2023.03.012] [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] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
Research examining associations between frequent cannabis use in adolescence and brain-behavior outcomes has increased substantially over the past 2 decades. This review attempts to synthesize the state of evidence in this area of research while acknowledging challenges in interpretation. Although there is converging evidence that ongoing, frequent cannabis use in adolescence is associated with small reductions in cognitive functioning, there is still significant debate regarding the persistence of reductions after a period of abstinence. Similarly, there is controversy regarding the replicability of structural and functional neuroimaging findings related to frequent cannabis use in adolescence. Larger studies with informative designs are needed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- J Cobb Scott
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 3700 Hamilton Walk, 5th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; VISN4 Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center at the Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Orihuel J, Capellán R, Casquero-Veiga M, Soto-Montenegro ML, Desco M, Oteo-Vives M, Ibáñez-Moragues M, Magro-Calvo N, Luján VM, Morcillo MÁ, Ambrosio E, Higuera-Matas A. The long-term effects of adolescent Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol on brain structure and function assessed through neuroimaging techniques in male and female rats. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2023; 74:47-63. [PMID: 37276836 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2023.05.005] [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: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Several studies performed on human subjects have examined the effects of adolescent cannabis consumption on brain structure or function using brain imaging techniques. However, the evidence from these studies is usually heterogenous and affected by several confounding variables. Animal models of adolescent cannabinoid exposure may help to overcome these difficulties. In this exploratory study, we aim to increase our understanding of the protracted effects of adolescent Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in rats of both sexes using magnetic resonance (MR) to obtain volumetric data, assess grey and white matter microstructure with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and measure brain metabolites with 1H-MR spectroscopy (MRS); in addition, we studied brain function using positron emission tomography (PET) with 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-d-glucose as the tracer. THC-exposed rats exhibited volumetric and microstructural alterations in the striatum, globus pallidus, lateral ventricles, thalamus, and septal nuclei in a sex-specific manner. THC administration also reduced fractional anisotropy in several white matter tracts, prominently in rostral sections, while in vivo MRS identified lower levels of cortical choline compounds. THC-treated males had increased metabolism in the cerebellum and olfactory bulb and decreased metabolism in the cingulate cortex. By contrast, THC-treated females showed hypermetabolism in a cluster of voxels comprising the entorhinal piriform cortices and in the cingulate cortex. These results indicate that mild THC exposure during adolescence leaves a lingering mark on brain structure and function in a sex-dependant manner. Some of the changes found here resemble those observed in human studies and highlight the importance of studying sex-specific effects in cannabinoid research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Javier Orihuel
- Department of Psychobiology, School of Psychology, National University for Distance Learning (UNED), C/Juan del Rosal 10, Madrid, Spain
| | - Roberto Capellán
- Department of Psychobiology, School of Psychology, National University for Distance Learning (UNED), C/Juan del Rosal 10, Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Casquero-Veiga
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain; CIBER de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain; Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares, Madrid, Spain
| | - María Luisa Soto-Montenegro
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain; CIBER de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain; Grupo de Fisiopatología y Farmacología del Sistema Digestivo de la Universidad Rey Juan Carlos (NEUGUT), Madrid, Spain
| | - Manuel Desco
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain; CIBER de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain; Departamento de Bioingeniería e Ingeniería Aeroespacial, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Spain; Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares, Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Oteo-Vives
- CIEMAT - Research Centre for Energy, Environment and Technology, Medical Applications of Ionizing Radiations Unit, Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Ibáñez-Moragues
- CIEMAT - Research Centre for Energy, Environment and Technology, Medical Applications of Ionizing Radiations Unit, Madrid, Spain
| | - Natalia Magro-Calvo
- CIEMAT - Research Centre for Energy, Environment and Technology, Medical Applications of Ionizing Radiations Unit, Madrid, Spain
| | - Víctor M Luján
- CIEMAT - Research Centre for Energy, Environment and Technology, Medical Applications of Ionizing Radiations Unit, Madrid, Spain
| | - Miguel Ángel Morcillo
- CIEMAT - Research Centre for Energy, Environment and Technology, Medical Applications of Ionizing Radiations Unit, Madrid, Spain
| | - Emilio Ambrosio
- Department of Psychobiology, School of Psychology, National University for Distance Learning (UNED), C/Juan del Rosal 10, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alejandro Higuera-Matas
- Department of Psychobiology, School of Psychology, National University for Distance Learning (UNED), C/Juan del Rosal 10, Madrid, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Bogdan R, Hatoum AS, Johnson EC, Agrawal A. The Genetically Informed Neurobiology of Addiction (GINA) model. Nat Rev Neurosci 2023; 24:40-57. [PMID: 36446900 PMCID: PMC10041646 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-022-00656-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Addictions are heritable and unfold dynamically across the lifespan. One prominent neurobiological theory proposes that substance-induced changes in neural circuitry promote the progression of addiction. Genome-wide association studies have begun to characterize the polygenic architecture undergirding addiction liability and revealed that genetic loci associated with risk can be divided into those associated with a general broad-spectrum liability to addiction and those associated with drug-specific addiction risk. In this Perspective, we integrate these genomic findings with our current understanding of the neurobiology of addiction to propose a new Genetically Informed Neurobiology of Addiction (GINA) model.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Bogdan
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA.
| | - Alexander S Hatoum
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Emma C Johnson
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Arpana Agrawal
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Abstract
Research examining associations between frequent cannabis use in adolescence and brain-behavior outcomes has increased substantially over the past 2 decades. This review attempts to synthesize the state of evidence in this area of research while acknowledging challenges in interpretation. Although there is converging evidence that ongoing, frequent cannabis use in adolescence is associated with small reductions in cognitive functioning, there is still significant debate regarding the persistence of reductions after a period of abstinence. Similarly, there is controversy regarding the replicability of structural and functional neuroimaging findings related to frequent cannabis use in adolescence. Larger studies with informative designs are needed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- J Cobb Scott
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 3700 Hamilton Walk, 5th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; VISN4 Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center at the Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Knodt AR, Meier MH, Ambler A, Gehred MZ, Harrington H, Ireland D, Poulton R, Ramrakha S, Caspi A, Moffitt TE, Hariri AR. Diminished Structural Brain Integrity in Long-term Cannabis Users Reflects a History of Polysubstance Use. Biol Psychiatry 2022; 92:861-870. [PMID: 36008158 PMCID: PMC9637748 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2022.06.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2022] [Revised: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cannabis legalization and use are outpacing our understanding of its long-term effects on brain and behavior, which is fundamental for effective policy and health practices. Existing studies are limited by small samples, cross-sectional measures, failure to separate long-term from recreational use, and inadequate control for other substance use. Here, we address these limitations by determining the structural brain integrity of long-term cannabis users in the Dunedin Study, a longitudinal investigation of a population-representative birth cohort followed to midlife. METHODS We leveraged prospective measures of cannabis, alcohol, tobacco, and other illicit drug use in addition to structural neuroimaging in 875 study members at age 45 to test for differences in both global and regional gray and white matter integrity between long-term cannabis users and lifelong nonusers. We additionally tested for dose-response associations between continuous measures of cannabis use and brain structure, including careful adjustments for use of other substances. RESULTS Long-term cannabis users had a thinner cortex, smaller subcortical gray matter volumes, and higher machine learning-predicted brain age than nonusers. However, these differences in structural brain integrity were explained by the propensity of long-term cannabis users to engage in polysubstance use, especially with alcohol and tobacco. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that diminished midlife structural brain integrity in long-term cannabis users reflects a broader pattern of polysubstance use, underlining the importance of understanding comorbid substance use in efforts to curb the negative effects of cannabis on brain and behavior as well as establish more effective policy and health practices.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Annchen R Knodt
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Madeline H Meier
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
| | - Antony Ambler
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom; Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Research Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Maria Z Gehred
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| | - HonaLee Harrington
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| | - David Ireland
- Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Research Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Richie Poulton
- Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Research Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Sandhya Ramrakha
- Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Research Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Avshalom Caspi
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina; Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Terrie E Moffitt
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina; Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ahmad R Hariri
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Cong Z, Fu Y, Chen N, Zhang L, Yao C, Wang Y, Yao Z, Hu B. Individuals with cannabis use are associated with widespread morphological alterations in the subregions of the amygdala, hippocampus, and pallidum. Drug Alcohol Depend 2022; 239:109595. [PMID: 35961268 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2022.109595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 07/02/2022] [Accepted: 07/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cannabis is the most frequently used illicit drug worldwide. Although multiple structural MRI studies of individuals with cannabis use (CB) have been undertaken, the reports of the volume alterations in the amygdala, hippocampus, and pallidum are not consistent. This study aims to detect subregion-level morphological alterations, analyze the correlation areas with cannabis usage characteristics, and gain new insights into the neuro mechanisms of CB. METHODS By leveraging the novel surface-based subcortical morphometry method, 20 CB and 22 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HC) were included to explore their volumetric and morphological differences in the three subcortical structures. Afterward, the correlation analysis between surface morphological eigenvalues and cannabis usage characteristics was performed. RESULTS Compared with volumetric measures, the surface-based subcortical morphometry method detected more significant global morphological deformations in the left amygdala, right hippocampus, and right pallidum (overall-p < 0.05, corrected). More obvious morphological alterations (atrophy or expansion) were observed in specific subregions (vertex-based p-value<0.05, uncorrected) of the three subcortical structures. Both positive and negative subregional correlation areas were reported by the correlation analysis. CONCLUSIONS The current study illuminated new pathophysiologic mechanisms in the amygdala, hippocampus, and pallidum at the subregion level, which may inform the subsequent smaller-scale CB research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhaoyang Cong
- Gansu Provincial Key Laboratory of Wearable Computing, School of Information Science and Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu Province 730000, China
| | - Yu Fu
- College of Information Science & Electronic Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province 310027, China
| | - Nan Chen
- Gansu Provincial Key Laboratory of Wearable Computing, School of Information Science and Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu Province 730000, China
| | - Lingyu Zhang
- Gansu Provincial Key Laboratory of Wearable Computing, School of Information Science and Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu Province 730000, China
| | - Chaofan Yao
- Gansu Provincial Key Laboratory of Wearable Computing, School of Information Science and Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu Province 730000, China
| | - Yalin Wang
- School of Computing, Informatics, and Decision Systems Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
| | - Zhijun Yao
- Gansu Provincial Key Laboratory of Wearable Computing, School of Information Science and Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu Province 730000, China.
| | - Bin Hu
- Gansu Provincial Key Laboratory of Wearable Computing, School of Information Science and Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu Province 730000, China; Joint Research Center for Cognitive Neurosensor Technology of Lanzhou University & Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province 730000, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200233, China; Engineering Research Center of Open Source Software and Real-Time System (Lanzhou University), Ministry of Education, Lanzhou, Gansu Province 730000, China.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Becker ABC, Lüken LM, Kelker L, Holtmann M, Daseking M, Legenbauer T. Cognitive Profiles of Adolescent Inpatients with Substance Use Disorder. CHILDREN 2022; 9:children9050756. [PMID: 35626933 PMCID: PMC9139439 DOI: 10.3390/children9050756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Revised: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The prevalence of substance abuse is high during adolescence, and several studies have linked the use of alcohol and cannabis in adolescence to different cognitive impairments. To investigate whether specific cognitive deficits can be observed in adolescents with substance use disorder (SUD), we compared the cognitive profiles of inpatient adolescents diagnosed with SUD to a control group matched for sex, age and educational status. The inpatient adolescents received diagnoses of cannabis use disorder, alcohol use disorder or both. We compared the WISC-V profiles of 22 inpatients (45.5% female, Mage: 14.5; SD: 0.8) and the WAIS-IV profiles of 27 inpatients (44.4% female, Mage: 17.1; SD: 0.9) to 49 matched control participants with no diagnosed SUD. At the time of testing, participants were hospitalized for treatment of their SUD and were abstinent for a period of at least 6 weeks. To gain greater power, we jointly analyzed the Verbal Comprehension Index, Working Memory Index, Processing Speed Index and Full Scale IQ as assessed by WISC-V and WAIS-IV. The clinical group performed significantly worse than the control group on all the above indices. When only the group of inpatients was observed, in a model with the factors sex, educational status, presence of a comorbid diagnosis of depression and the number of comorbid diagnoses, only the factor educational status was significantly associated with the Full Scale IQ, whereas the factors sex and a comorbid diagnosis of depression in this group were associated with the Processing Speed Index. The results show that adolescents diagnosed with SUD (cannabis and/or alcohol) display broad cognitive impairments after 6 weeks of abstinence. Future research is required to further explore the role of comorbid diagnoses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Angelika Beate Christiane Becker
- Department of Educational Psychology, Helmut-Schmidt-University/University of the Federal Armed Forces, 22043 Hamburg, Germany; (L.K.); (M.D.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Luisa Marie Lüken
- LWL University Hospital for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Ruhr University Bochum, 59071 Hamm, Germany; (L.M.L.); (M.H.); (T.L.)
- Department of Psychology, University of Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Lea Kelker
- Department of Educational Psychology, Helmut-Schmidt-University/University of the Federal Armed Forces, 22043 Hamburg, Germany; (L.K.); (M.D.)
| | - Martin Holtmann
- LWL University Hospital for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Ruhr University Bochum, 59071 Hamm, Germany; (L.M.L.); (M.H.); (T.L.)
| | - Monika Daseking
- Department of Educational Psychology, Helmut-Schmidt-University/University of the Federal Armed Forces, 22043 Hamburg, Germany; (L.K.); (M.D.)
| | - Tanja Legenbauer
- LWL University Hospital for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Ruhr University Bochum, 59071 Hamm, Germany; (L.M.L.); (M.H.); (T.L.)
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Friedman NP, Robbins TW. The role of prefrontal cortex in cognitive control and executive function. Neuropsychopharmacology 2022; 47:72-89. [PMID: 34408280 PMCID: PMC8617292 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-021-01132-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 333] [Impact Index Per Article: 166.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Concepts of cognitive control (CC) and executive function (EF) are defined in terms of their relationships with goal-directed behavior versus habits and controlled versus automatic processing, and related to the functions of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and related regions and networks. A psychometric approach shows unity and diversity in CC constructs, with 3 components in the most commonly studied constructs: general or common CC and components specific to mental set shifting and working memory updating. These constructs are considered against the cellular and systems neurobiology of PFC and what is known of its functional neuroanatomical or network organization based on lesioning, neurochemical, and neuroimaging approaches across species. CC is also considered in the context of motivation, as "cool" and "hot" forms. Its Common CC component is shown to be distinct from general intelligence (g) and closely related to response inhibition. Impairments in CC are considered as possible causes of psychiatric symptoms and consequences of disorders. The relationships of CC with the general factor of psychopathology (p) and dimensional constructs such as impulsivity in large scale developmental and adult populations are considered, as well as implications for genetic studies and RDoC approaches to psychiatric classification.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Naomi P Friedman
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience and Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA.
| | - Trevor W Robbins
- Department of Psychology and Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Friedman NP, Banich MT, Keller MC. Twin studies to GWAS: there and back again. Trends Cogn Sci 2021; 25:855-869. [PMID: 34312064 PMCID: PMC8446317 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2021.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The field of human behavioral genetics has come full circle. It began by using twin/family studies to estimate the relative importance of genetic and environmental influences. As large-scale genotyping became cost-effective, genome-wide association studies (GWASs) yielded insights about the nature of genetic influences and new methods that use GWAS data to estimate heritability and genetic correlations invigorated the field. Yet these newer GWAS methods have not replaced twin/family studies. In this review, we discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the two approaches with respect to characterizing genetic and environmental influences, measurement of behavioral phenotypes, and evaluation of causal models, with a particular focus on cognitive neuroscience. This discussion highlights how twin/family studies and GWAS complement and mutually reinforce one another.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Naomi P Friedman
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA; Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA.
| | - Marie T Banich
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA; Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Matthew C Keller
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA; Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Paul S, Bhattacharyya S. Cannabis use-related working memory deficit mediated by lower left hippocampal volume. Addict Biol 2021; 26:e12984. [PMID: 33155343 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Revised: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The association between cannabis exposure and working memory impairment and its neural substrates remain unclear. In this cross-sectional observational study, we investigated this by examining the relationship between frequency of exposure to cannabis, working memory performance and regional brain volumes and tested whether lower volumes of cortical and subcortical structures mediate the association between cannabis exposure and working memory deficit using the Human Connectome Project data from 234 individuals with self-reported cannabis exposure and 174 individuals unexposed to cannabis. We tested the relationship between self-reported frequency of cannabis exposure and list-sorting working memory task performance (total number of correct responses), between T1 weighted MRI-derived regional grey-matter volumes and working memory task performance as well as between frequency of cannabis exposure and brain volumes after controlling for potential confounders. Finally, mediation analysis was carried out to test whether deficit in working memory performance associated with cannabis use was mediated by its association with lower grey-matter volume. Participants who reported higher frequency of cannabis use tended to have lower number of correct responses in the list-sorting working memory task and lower bilateral hippocampal volumes. Association between severity of cannabis exposure as indexed by frequency of cannabis use and impairment in working memory was mediated by lower left hippocampal volume in cannabis users. We report evidence in support of the left hippocampus volume-mediated working memory impairment associated with recreational cannabis exposure. Future studies employing prospective longitudinal design are necessary to examine the cause-effect relationships of cannabis exposure on working memory and brain volumes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Subhadip Paul
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Sagnik Bhattacharyya
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Harper J, Malone SM, Wilson S, Hunt RH, Thomas KM, Iacono WG. The Effects of Alcohol and Cannabis Use on the Cortical Thickness of Cognitive Control and Salience Brain Networks in Emerging Adulthood: A Co-twin Control Study. Biol Psychiatry 2021; 89:1012-1022. [PMID: 33726938 PMCID: PMC8106644 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2021.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2020] [Revised: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Impairments in inhibitory control and its underlying brain networks (control/salience areas) are associated with substance misuse. Research often assumes a causal substance exposure effect on brain structure. This assumption remains largely untested, and other factors (e.g., familial risk) may confound exposure effects. We leveraged a genetically informative sample of twins aged 24 years and a quasi-experimental co-twin control design to separate alcohol or cannabis exposure effects during emerging adulthood from familial risk on control/salience network cortical thickness. METHODS In a population-based sample of 436 twins aged 24 years, dimensional measures of alcohol and cannabis use (e.g., frequency, density, quantity, intoxications) across emerging adulthood were assessed. Cortical thickness of control/salience network areas were assessed using magnetic resonance imaging and defined by a fine-grained cortical atlas. RESULTS Greater alcohol, but not cannabis, misuse was associated with reduced thickness of prefrontal (e.g., dorso/ventrolateral, right frontal operculum) and frontal medial cortices, as well as temporal lobe, intraparietal sulcus, insula, parietal operculum, precuneus, and parietal medial areas. Effects were predominately (pre)frontal and right lateralized. Co-twin control analyses suggested that the effects likely reflect both the familial predisposition to misuse alcohol and, specifically for lateral prefrontal, frontal/parietal medial, and right frontal operculum, an alcohol exposure effect. CONCLUSIONS This study provides novel evidence that alcohol-related reductions in cortical thickness of control/salience brain networks likely represent the effects of alcohol exposure and premorbid characteristics of the genetic predisposition to misuse alcohol. The dual effects of these two alcohol-related causal influences have important and complementary implications regarding public health and prevention efforts to curb youth drinking.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy Harper
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
| | | | - Sylia Wilson
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
| | - Ruskin H. Hunt
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
15
|
Scheffler F, Du Plessis S, Asmal L, Kilian S, Phahladira L, Luckhoff HK, Emsley R. Cannabis use and hippocampal subfield volumes in males with a first episode of a schizophrenia spectrum disorder and healthy controls. Schizophr Res 2021; 231:13-21. [PMID: 33740561 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2021.02.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Revised: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Both schizophrenia and cannabis use are associated with structural brain changes. The hippocampus is a region of particular interest due to its role in memory and select cognitive functions, impairment of which is a core feature of schizophrenia and has also been observed in substance abuse. This study aimed to explore the effects of recent/current cannabis use on hippocampal subfield volumes in male patients with first-episode schizophrenia spectrum disorders and matched controls. METHODS This cross-sectional, case-control study included 63 patients and 58 controls scanned on 3T MRI scanners, with hippocampal segmentation performed using recently validated Freesurfer v6.0 software. Cannabis use status was determined by self and carer report together with urine toxicology screening, and patients were categorised as recent/current users or non-users. We used multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) with age, scan sequence, scan quality, and total intracranial volume as covariates, with subsequent analysis of variance (ANOVA) to test the effects of diagnosis and cannabis use status on individual hippocampal subfields. RESULTS We found a group (patient/control) by cannabis use interaction effect in the subiculum, with decreased volumes observed in the cannabis non-using patients compared to the cannabis using patients, and decreased volumes in the cannabis using controls compared to the cannabis non-using controls. CONCLUSION The increased subiculum volume in cannabis using patients compared to cannabis non-using patients raises important questions regarding the pathophysiology of schizophrenia and the role of cannabis use therein.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- F Scheffler
- Department of Psychiatry, Stellenbosch University, South Africa.
| | - S Du Plessis
- Department of Psychiatry, Stellenbosch University, South Africa
| | - L Asmal
- Department of Psychiatry, Stellenbosch University, South Africa
| | - S Kilian
- Department of Psychiatry, Stellenbosch University, South Africa
| | - L Phahladira
- Department of Psychiatry, Stellenbosch University, South Africa
| | - H K Luckhoff
- Department of Psychiatry, Stellenbosch University, South Africa
| | - R Emsley
- Department of Psychiatry, Stellenbosch University, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Isherwood SJS, Bazin PL, Alkemade A, Forstmann BU. Quantity and quality: Normative open-access neuroimaging databases. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0248341. [PMID: 33705468 PMCID: PMC7951909 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0248341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2020] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The focus of this article is to compare twenty normative and open-access neuroimaging databases based on quantitative measures of image quality, namely, signal-to-noise (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratios (CNR). We further the analysis through discussing to what extent these databases can be used for the visualization of deeper regions of the brain, such as the subcortex, as well as provide an overview of the types of inferences that can be drawn. A quantitative comparison of contrasts including T1-weighted (T1w) and T2-weighted (T2w) images are summarized, providing evidence for the benefit of ultra-high field MRI. Our analysis suggests a decline in SNR in the caudate nuclei with increasing age, in T1w, T2w, qT1 and qT2* contrasts, potentially indicative of complex structural age-dependent changes. A similar decline was found in the corpus callosum of the T1w, qT1 and qT2* contrasts, though this relationship is not as extensive as within the caudate nuclei. These declines were accompanied by a declining CNR over age in all image contrasts. A positive correlation was found between scan time and the estimated SNR as well as a negative correlation between scan time and spatial resolution. Image quality as well as the number and types of contrasts acquired by these databases are important factors to take into account when selecting structural data for reuse. This article highlights the opportunities and pitfalls associated with sampling existing databases, and provides a quantitative backing for their usage.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Scott Jie Shen Isherwood
- Integrative Model-Based Cognitive Neuroscience Research Unit, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Pierre-Louis Bazin
- Integrative Model-Based Cognitive Neuroscience Research Unit, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Neurophysics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Anneke Alkemade
- Integrative Model-Based Cognitive Neuroscience Research Unit, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Birte Uta Forstmann
- Integrative Model-Based Cognitive Neuroscience Research Unit, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Owens MM, Sweet LH, MacKillop J. Recent cannabis use is associated with smaller hippocampus volume: High-resolution segmentation of structural subfields in a large non-clinical sample. Addict Biol 2021; 26:e12874. [PMID: 31991525 PMCID: PMC9187039 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2019] [Revised: 12/16/2019] [Accepted: 12/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
There is mixed evidence that individuals who use cannabis have reduced hippocampal and amygdalar gray matter volume, potentially because of small sample sizes and imprecise morphological characterization. New automated segmentation procedures have improved the measurement of these structures and allow better examination of their subfields, which have been linked to distinct aspects of memory and emotion. The current study applies this new segmentation procedure to the Human Connectome Project Young Adult dataset (N = 1080) to investigate associations of cannabis use with gray matter volume in the hippocampus and amygdala. Results revealed significant bilateral inverse associations of hippocampal volume with recent cannabis use (THC+ urine drug screen; P < .005). Hippocampal subfield analyses indicated these associations were primarily driven by the head of the hippocampus, the first section of the cornu amonis (CA1), the subicular complex, and the molecular layer of the hippocampus. No associations were detected for age of cannabis initiation, the frequency of cannabis use across the lifespan, or the lifetime presence of cannabis use disorder. In one of the largest studies to date, these results support the hypothesis that recent cannabis use is linked to reduced hippocampal volume, but that this effect may dissipate following prolonged abstinence. Furthermore, these results clarify the specific subfields which may be most associated with recent cannabis use.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Max M. Owens
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont, 1 South Prospect St., Burlington, VT 05401
- Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, 125 Baldwin Street, Athens, GA 30602
| | - Lawrence H. Sweet
- Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, 125 Baldwin Street, Athens, GA 30602
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Box G-A1, Providence, Rhode Island 02912
| | - James MacKillop
- Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, 125 Baldwin Street, Athens, GA 30602
- Peter Boris Centre for Addictions Research, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton/McMaster University, 100 West 5 Street, Hamilton, ON, L8P 3R2
- Michael G. DeGroote Centre for Medicinal Cannabis Research, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton/McMaster University, 100 West 5 Street, Hamilton, ON, L8P 3R2
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Allick A, Park G, Kim K, Vintimilla M, Rathod K, Lebo R, Nanavati J, Hammond CJ. Age- and Sex-Related Cortical Gray Matter Volume Differences in Adolescent Cannabis Users: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Voxel-Based Morphometry Studies. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:745193. [PMID: 34925090 PMCID: PMC8671465 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.745193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Adolescent-onset cannabis use is rising in the era of marijuana legalization. Recent imaging studies have identified neuroanatomical differences between adult cannabis users and controls that are more prominent in early-onset users. Other studies point to sex-dependent effects of cannabis. Methods: A systematic review following PRISMA guidelines and subsequent effect-size seed-based d mapping (SDM) meta-analyses were conducted to investigate relationships between age (across the 12-to-21-year-old developmental window), sex, and gray matter volume (GMV) differences between cannabis using (CU) and typically developing (TD) youth. Results: Our search identified 1,326 citations, 24 of which were included in a qualitative analysis. A total of 6 whole-brain voxel-based morphometry (VBM) studies comparing regional GMV between 357 CU [mean (SD) age = 16.68 (1.28); 71% male] and 404 TD [mean (SD) age = 16.77 (1.36); 63% male] youth were included in the SDM-meta-analysis. Meta-analysis of whole-brain VBM studies identified no regions showing significant GMV difference between CU and TD youth. Meta-regressions showed divergent effects of age and sex on cortical GMV differences in CU vs. TD youth. Age effects were seen in the superior temporal gyrus (STG), with older-aged CU youth showing decreased and younger-aged CU youth showing increased STG GMV compared to age-matched TD youth. Parallel findings in the STG were also observed in relation to duration of CU (years) in supplemental meta-regressions. Regarding sex effects, a higher proportion of females in studies was associated with increased GMV in the middle occipital gyrus in CU vs. TD youth. Conclusions: These findings suggest that GMV differences between CU and TD youth, if present, are subtle, and may vary as a function of age, cumulative cannabis exposure, and sex in young people. Whether age- and sex-related GMV differences are attributable to common predispositional factors, cannabis-induced neuroadaptive changes, or both warrant further investigation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aliyah Allick
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Grace Park
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Kwon Kim
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Michelle Vintimilla
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Krutika Rathod
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Rachael Lebo
- Welch Medical Library, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.,I.D. Weeks Library, Health Sciences Department, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, United States
| | - Julie Nanavati
- Welch Medical Library, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Christopher J Hammond
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.,Behavioral Pharmacology Research Unit, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Brain Volume Abnormalities in Youth at High Risk for Depression: Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development Study. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2020; 59:1178-1188. [PMID: 31634568 PMCID: PMC7165045 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2019.09.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2019] [Revised: 09/16/2019] [Accepted: 10/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Children of parents with depression are two to three times more likely to develop major depressive disorder than children without parental history; however, subcortical brain volume abnormalities characterizing major depressive disorder risk remain unclear. The Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study provides an opportunity to identify subcortical differences associated with parental depressive history. METHOD Structural magnetic resonance data were acquired from 9- and 10-year-old children (N = 11,876; release 1.1, n = 4,521; release 2.0.1, n = 7,355). Approximately one-third of the children had a parental depressive history, providing sufficient power to test differences in subcortical brain volume between low- and high-risk youths. Children from release 1.1 were examined as a discovery sample, and we sought to replicate effects in release 2.0.1. Secondary analyses tested group differences in the prevalence of depressive disorders and clarified whether subcortical brain differences were present in youths with a lifetime depressive disorder history. RESULTS Parental depressive history was related to smaller right putamen volume in the discovery (release 1.1; d = -0.10) and replication (release 2.0.1; d = -0.10) samples. However, in release 1.1, this effect was driven by maternal depressive history (d = -0.14), whereas in release 2.0.1, paternal depressive history showed a stronger relationship with putamen volume (d = -0.09). Furthermore, high-risk children exhibited a near twofold greater occurrence of depressive disorders relative to low-risk youths (maternal history odds ratio =1.99; paternal history odds ratio = 1.45), but youths with a lifetime depressive history did not exhibit significant subcortical abnormalities. CONCLUSION A parental depressive history was associated with smaller putamen volume, which may affect reward learning processes that confer increased risk for major depressive disorder.
Collapse
|
20
|
Cabeen RP, Allman JM, Toga AW. THC Exposure is Reflected in the Microstructure of the Cerebral Cortex and Amygdala of Young Adults. Cereb Cortex 2020; 30:4949-4963. [PMID: 32377689 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaa087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The endocannabinoid system serves a critical role in homeostatic regulation through its influence on processes underlying appetite, pain, reward, and stress, and cannabis has long been used for the related modulatory effects it provides through tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). We investigated how THC exposure relates to tissue microstructure of the cerebral cortex and subcortical nuclei using computational modeling of diffusion magnetic resonance imaging data in a large cohort of young adults from the Human Connectome Project. We report strong associations between biospecimen-defined THC exposure and microstructure parameters in discrete gray matter brain areas, including frontoinsular cortex, ventromedial prefrontal cortex, and the lateral amygdala subfields, with independent effects in behavioral measures of memory performance, negative intrusive thinking, and paternal substance abuse. These results shed new light on the relationship between THC exposure and microstructure variation in brain areas related to salience processing, emotion regulation, and decision making. The absence of effects in some other cannabinoid-receptor-rich brain areas prompts the consideration of cellular and molecular mechanisms that we discuss. Further studies are needed to characterize the nature of these effects across the lifespan and to investigate the mechanistic neurobiological factors connecting THC exposure and microstructural parameters.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ryan P Cabeen
- Laboratory of Neuro Imaging, USC Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine of USC, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - John M Allman
- Division of Biology, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Arthur W Toga
- Laboratory of Neuro Imaging, USC Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine of USC, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Weinstein G, Sznitman SR. The implications of late-life cannabis use on brain health: A mapping review and implications for future research. Ageing Res Rev 2020; 59:101041. [PMID: 32109605 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2020.101041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2019] [Revised: 02/12/2020] [Accepted: 02/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
While medical and recreational cannabis use is becoming more frequent among older adults, the neurocognitive consequences of cannabis use in this age group are unclear. The aim of this literature review was to synthesize and evaluate the current knowledge on the association of cannabis use during older-adulthood with cognitive function and brain aging. We reviewed the literature from old animal models and human studies, focusing on the link between use of cannabis in middle- and old-age and cognition. The report highlights the gap in knowledge on cannabis use in late-life and cognitive health, and discusses the limited findings in the context of substantial changes in attitudes and policies. Furthermore, we outline possible theoretical mechanisms and propose recommendations for future research. The limited evidence on this important topic suggests that use in older ages may not be linked with poorer cognitive performance, thus detrimental effects of early-life cannabis use may not translate to use in older ages. Rather, use in old ages may be associated with improved brain health, in accordance with the known neuroprotective properties of several cannabinoids. Yet, firm conclusions cannot be drawn from the current evidence-base due to lack of research with strong methodological designs.
Collapse
|
22
|
Deconstructing the neurobiology of cannabis use disorder. Nat Neurosci 2020; 23:600-610. [PMID: 32251385 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-020-0611-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2018] [Accepted: 02/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
There have been dramatic changes worldwide in the attitudes toward and consumption of recreational and medical cannabis. Cannabinoid receptors, which mediate the actions of cannabis, are abundantly expressed in brain regions known to mediate neural processes underlying reward, cognition, emotional regulation and stress responsivity relevant to addiction vulnerability. Despite debates regarding potential pathological consequences of cannabis use, cannabis use disorder is a clinical diagnosis with high prevalence in the general population and that often has its genesis in adolescence and in vulnerable individuals associated with psychiatric comorbidity, genetic and environmental factors. Integrated information from human and animal studies is beginning to expand insights regarding neurobiological systems associated with cannabis use disorder, which often share common neural characteristics with other substance use disorders, that could inform prevention and treatment strategies.
Collapse
|
23
|
Manza P, Yuan K, Shokri-Kojori E, Tomasi D, Volkow ND. Brain structural changes in cannabis dependence: association with MAGL. Mol Psychiatry 2020; 25:3256-3266. [PMID: 31695165 PMCID: PMC7200265 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-019-0577-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2019] [Revised: 09/20/2019] [Accepted: 10/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Cannabis use is rising, yet there is poor understanding of biological processes that might link chronic cannabis use to brain structural abnormalities. To lend insight into this topic, we examined white matter microstructural integrity and gray matter cortical thickness/density differences between 89 individuals with cannabis dependence (CD) and 89 matched controls (64 males, 25 females in each group) from the Human Connectome Project. We tested whether cortical patterns for expression of genes relevant for cannabinoid signaling (from Allen Human Brain Atlas postmortem tissue) were associated with spatial patterns of cortical thickness/density differences in CD. CD had lower fractional anisotropy than controls in white matter bundles innervating posterior cingulate and parietal cortex, basal ganglia, and temporal cortex. The CD group also had significantly less gray matter thickness and density in precuneus, relative to controls. Sibling-pair analysis found support for causal and graded liability effects of cannabis on precuneus structure. Spatial patterns of gray matter differences in CD were significantly associated with regional differences in monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) expression in postmortem brain tissue, such that regions with higher MAGL expression (but not fatty-acid amide hydrolase or FAAH) were more vulnerable to cortical thinning. In sum, chronic cannabis use is associated with structural differences in white and gray matter, which was most prominent in precuneus and associated white matter tracts. Regions with high MAGL expression, and therefore with potentially physiologically restricted endogenous cannabinoid signaling, may be more vulnerable to the effects of chronic cannabis use on cortical thickness.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peter Manza
- National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Kai Yuan
- grid.94365.3d0000 0001 2297 5165National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD USA ,grid.440736.20000 0001 0707 115XSchool of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, 710071 Xi’an, Shaanxi PR China
| | - Ehsan Shokri-Kojori
- grid.94365.3d0000 0001 2297 5165National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD USA
| | - Dardo Tomasi
- grid.94365.3d0000 0001 2297 5165National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD USA
| | - Nora D. Volkow
- grid.94365.3d0000 0001 2297 5165National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD USA ,grid.94365.3d0000 0001 2297 5165National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD USA
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Petker T, Owens MM, Amlung MT, Oshri A, Sweet LH, MacKillop J. Cannabis involvement and neuropsychological performance: findings from the Human Connectome Project. J Psychiatry Neurosci 2019; 44:414-422. [PMID: 31245962 PMCID: PMC6821511 DOI: 10.1503/jpn.180115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is evidence that heavy cannabis use is associated with decrements in cognitive performance, but findings are mixed and studies are often limited by small sample sizes and narrow adjustment for potential confounding variables. In a comparatively large sample, the current study examined associations between multiple indicators of cannabis use in relation to performance on a variety of neuropsychological tasks. METHODS Participants were 1121 adults (54% female) enrolled in the Human Connectome Project. Cannabis involvement comprised recent cannabis use (positive tetrahydrocannabinol screen), total number of lifetime uses, cannabis use disorder and age at first use. The neuropsychological battery comprised performance in episodic memory, fluid intelligence, attention, working memory, executive function, impulsive decision-making, processing speed and psychomotor dexterity. Covariates were age, sex, income, family structure and alcohol and tobacco use. RESULTS Positive urinary tetrahydrocannabinol status was associated with worse performance in episodic memory and processing speed, and positive cannabis use disorder status was associated with lower fluid intelligence (all p < 0.005). No other significant associations were present. LIMITATIONS The sample was limited to young adults aged 22–36 years. The measures of cannabis involvement were relatively coarse. CONCLUSION Beyond an array of potential confounders, recent cannabis use was associated with deficits in memory and psychomotor performance, and cannabis use disorder was associated with lower overall cognitive functioning in a large normative sample of adults. The findings pertaining to recent use have particular relevance for occupational settings.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tashia Petker
- From the Peter Boris Centre for Addictions Research, McMaster University/St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, Ont., Canada (Petker, Amlung, MacKillop); the Department of Psychology, Neuroscience, and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont., Canada (Petker, Amlung, MacKillop); the Addiction Medicine Service, Homewood Health Centre, Guelph, Ont., Canada (Petker, Owens); the Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA (Sweet, MacKillop); the Michael G. DeGroote Centre for Medicinal Cannabis Research, McMaster University/St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, Ont., Canada (Amlung, MacKillop); the Department of Human Development and Family Science, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA (Oshri); the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA (Sweet); and the Homewood Research Institute, Guelph, Ont., Canada (MacKillop)
| | - Max M. Owens
- From the Peter Boris Centre for Addictions Research, McMaster University/St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, Ont., Canada (Petker, Amlung, MacKillop); the Department of Psychology, Neuroscience, and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont., Canada (Petker, Amlung, MacKillop); the Addiction Medicine Service, Homewood Health Centre, Guelph, Ont., Canada (Petker, Owens); the Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA (Sweet, MacKillop); the Michael G. DeGroote Centre for Medicinal Cannabis Research, McMaster University/St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, Ont., Canada (Amlung, MacKillop); the Department of Human Development and Family Science, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA (Oshri); the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA (Sweet); and the Homewood Research Institute, Guelph, Ont., Canada (MacKillop)
| | - Michael T. Amlung
- From the Peter Boris Centre for Addictions Research, McMaster University/St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, Ont., Canada (Petker, Amlung, MacKillop); the Department of Psychology, Neuroscience, and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont., Canada (Petker, Amlung, MacKillop); the Addiction Medicine Service, Homewood Health Centre, Guelph, Ont., Canada (Petker, Owens); the Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA (Sweet, MacKillop); the Michael G. DeGroote Centre for Medicinal Cannabis Research, McMaster University/St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, Ont., Canada (Amlung, MacKillop); the Department of Human Development and Family Science, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA (Oshri); the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA (Sweet); and the Homewood Research Institute, Guelph, Ont., Canada (MacKillop)
| | - Assaf Oshri
- From the Peter Boris Centre for Addictions Research, McMaster University/St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, Ont., Canada (Petker, Amlung, MacKillop); the Department of Psychology, Neuroscience, and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont., Canada (Petker, Amlung, MacKillop); the Addiction Medicine Service, Homewood Health Centre, Guelph, Ont., Canada (Petker, Owens); the Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA (Sweet, MacKillop); the Michael G. DeGroote Centre for Medicinal Cannabis Research, McMaster University/St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, Ont., Canada (Amlung, MacKillop); the Department of Human Development and Family Science, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA (Oshri); the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA (Sweet); and the Homewood Research Institute, Guelph, Ont., Canada (MacKillop)
| | - Lawrence H. Sweet
- From the Peter Boris Centre for Addictions Research, McMaster University/St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, Ont., Canada (Petker, Amlung, MacKillop); the Department of Psychology, Neuroscience, and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont., Canada (Petker, Amlung, MacKillop); the Addiction Medicine Service, Homewood Health Centre, Guelph, Ont., Canada (Petker, Owens); the Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA (Sweet, MacKillop); the Michael G. DeGroote Centre for Medicinal Cannabis Research, McMaster University/St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, Ont., Canada (Amlung, MacKillop); the Department of Human Development and Family Science, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA (Oshri); the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA (Sweet); and the Homewood Research Institute, Guelph, Ont., Canada (MacKillop)
| | - James MacKillop
- From the Peter Boris Centre for Addictions Research, McMaster University/St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, Ont., Canada (Petker, Amlung, MacKillop); the Department of Psychology, Neuroscience, and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont., Canada (Petker, Amlung, MacKillop); the Addiction Medicine Service, Homewood Health Centre, Guelph, Ont., Canada (Petker, Owens); the Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA (Sweet, MacKillop); the Michael G. DeGroote Centre for Medicinal Cannabis Research, McMaster University/St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, Ont., Canada (Amlung, MacKillop); the Department of Human Development and Family Science, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA (Oshri); the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA (Sweet); and the Homewood Research Institute, Guelph, Ont., Canada (MacKillop)
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Syan SK, Owens MM, Goodman B, Epstein LH, Meyre D, Sweet LH, MacKillop J. Deficits in executive function and suppression of default mode network in obesity. NEUROIMAGE-CLINICAL 2019; 24:102015. [PMID: 31795049 PMCID: PMC6861638 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2019.102015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2019] [Revised: 08/16/2019] [Accepted: 09/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Using a case-control design, obese individuals exhibited worse performance across a number of neurocognitive tests compared to healthy BMI controls, particularly in tasks measuring executive function. In a functional MRI N-Back task measuring working memory performance, obese individuals exhibited greater BOLD activity in task-negative brain regions, suggesting deficits in suppression of the default mode network (DMN). Obese individuals exhibited differences in cortical morphometry in frontal, temporal, and parietal regions linked to executive function. Integrative analyses implicated aspects of behavioral performance, inefficient DMN suppression, and cortical morphometry. Results suggest that obesity is associated with a diverse range of functional, structural and behavioural deficits in executive functioning; longitudinal studies are needed to clarify causal versus consequential influences.
Background Although nutritional and metabolic factors are well established in obesity, neurocognitive determinants are less understood. Using data from the Human Connectome Project, this study concurrently investigated neurocognitive performance, neural activation during a working memory task, and cortical brain morphometry in relation to obesity in a group of young adults, 22–35 years old. Methods Using a case-control design, obese individuals (n = 243, body mass index [BMI] ≥ 30 kg/m2) were compared to a control group of lean BMI individuals (n = 469, BMI = 18–24.9 kg/m2). Performance tests comprised a battery of behavioral neurocognitive assessments. Neural activity was measured as blood-oxygenation-level-dependent (BOLD) activity during an N-Back task using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Cortical morphometry included indices of volume, thickness, and surface area. Results Relative to the control group, the obese group exhibited significantly worse performance in terms of the National Institutes of Health Toolkit (NIH) 9-Hole Peg Board, Penn Working Memory Test, Delay Discounting, Penn Progressive Matrices, NIH Picture Vocabulary Test, Dimensional Change Card Sort Test and the in-scanner N-Back working memory test (FDR-corrected ps<0.05; ds = 0.231–0.405). The obese group also exhibited significantly greater BOLD activation in N-Back task-negative regions, including the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, posterior cingulate, and right precentral gyrus (FDR-corrected ps<0.05). Supplemental functional connectivity analyses provided evidence that the implicated regions were part of the default mode network. Significant differences in morphometry were present in the medial orbitofrontal cortex, rostral anterior cingulate cortex, inferior and superior parietal gyri, and temporal pole (FDR-corrected p<0.001). A data-driven integrative model classified 73.8% of participants correctly. Conclusions and Relevance This multimodal investigation suggests diverse aspects of neurocognition are associated with obesity, particularly implicating deficits in executive function and ineffective suppression of the default mode network.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina K Syan
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Max M Owens
- Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Ben Goodman
- Peter Boris Centre for Addictions Research, McMaster University & St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Leonard H Epstein
- Department of Pediatrics, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, United States of America
| | - David Meyre
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Lawrence H Sweet
- Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - James MacKillop
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Peter Boris Centre for Addictions Research, McMaster University & St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Associations between adolescent cannabis use frequency and adult brain structure: A prospective study of boys followed to adulthood. Drug Alcohol Depend 2019; 202:191-199. [PMID: 31357120 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2019.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2018] [Revised: 05/09/2019] [Accepted: 05/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Few studies have tested the hypothesis that adolescent cannabis users show structural brain alterations in adulthood. The present study tested associations between prospectively-assessed trajectories of adolescent cannabis use and adult brain structure in a sample of boys followed to adulthood. METHODS Data came from the Pittsburgh Youth Study - a longitudinal study of ˜1000 boys. Boys completed self-reports of cannabis use annually from age 13-19, and latent class growth analysis was used to identify different trajectories of adolescent cannabis use. Once adolescent cannabis trajectories were identified, boys were classified into their most likely cannabis trajectory. A subset of boys (n = 181) subsequently underwent structural neuroimaging in adulthood, when they were between 30-36 years old on average. For this subset, we grouped participants according to their classified adolescent cannabis trajectory and tested whether these groups showed differences in adult brain structure in 14 a priori regions of interest, including six subcortical (volume only: amygdala, hippocampus, nucleus accumbens, caudate, putamen, and pallidum) and eight cortical regions (volume and thickness: superior frontal gyrus; caudal and rostral middle frontal gyrus; inferior frontal gyrus, separated into pars opercularis, pars triangularis, and pars orbitalis; lateral and medial orbitofrontal gyrus). RESULTS We identified four adolescent cannabis trajectories: non-users/infrequent users, desisters, escalators, and chronic-relatively frequent users. Boys in different trajectory subgroups did not differ on adult brain structure in any subcortical or cortical region of interest. CONCLUSIONS Adolescent cannabis use is not associated with structural brain differences in adulthood.
Collapse
|
27
|
Burggren AC, Shirazi A, Ginder N, London ED. Cannabis effects on brain structure, function, and cognition: considerations for medical uses of cannabis and its derivatives. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE 2019; 45:563-579. [PMID: 31365275 PMCID: PMC7027431 DOI: 10.1080/00952990.2019.1634086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2019] [Revised: 06/14/2019] [Accepted: 06/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Background: Cannabis is the most widely used illicit substance worldwide, and legalization for recreational and medical purposes has substantially increased its availability and use in the United States.Objectives: Decades of research have suggested that recreational cannabis use confers risk for cognitive impairment across various domains, and structural and functional differences in the brain have been linked to early and heavy cannabis use.Methods: With substantial evidence for the role of the endocannabinoid system in neural development and understanding that brain development continues into early adulthood, the rising use of cannabis in adolescents and young adults raises major concerns. Yet some formulations of cannabinoid compounds are FDA-approved for medical uses, including applications in children.Results: Potential effects on the trajectory of brain morphology and cognition, therefore, should be considered. The goal of this review is to update and consolidate relevant findings in order to inform attitudes and public policy regarding the recreational and medical use of cannabis and cannabinoid compounds.Conclusions: The findings point to considerations for age limits and guidelines for use.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alison C Burggren
- Robert and Beverly Lewis Center for Neuroimaging, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA
| | - Anaheed Shirazi
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Nathaniel Ginder
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Edythe D. London
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, and the Brain Research Institute, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Maple KE, Thomas AM, Kangiser MM, Lisdahl KM. Anterior cingulate volume reductions in abstinent adolescent and young adult cannabis users: Association with affective processing deficits. Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging 2019; 288:51-59. [PMID: 31079000 PMCID: PMC6548454 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2019.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2018] [Revised: 04/23/2019] [Accepted: 04/28/2019] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Kristin E Maple
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2441 E. Hartford Ave., Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Alicia M Thomas
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2441 E. Hartford Ave., Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Megan M Kangiser
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2441 E. Hartford Ave., Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Krista M Lisdahl
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2441 E. Hartford Ave., Milwaukee, WI, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Owens MM, McNally S, Petker T, Amlung MT, Balodis IM, Sweet LH, MacKillop J. Urinary tetrahydrocannabinol is associated with poorer working memory performance and alterations in associated brain activity. Neuropsychopharmacology 2019; 44:613-619. [PMID: 30644440 PMCID: PMC6333822 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-018-0240-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2018] [Accepted: 09/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Worldwide, cannabis is one of the most widely used psychoactive substances and cannabis use has been implicated in poorer performance in several cognitive domains, including working memory (WM). However, the neural mechanisms underlying these WM decrements are not well understood and the current study investigated the association of cannabis involvement with WM performance and associated neural activation in the Human Connectome Project (N = 1038). Multiple indicators of cannabis involvement were examined in relation to behavioral performance and brain activity in a visual N-back task using functional magnetic resonance imaging. A positive urine drug screen for tetrahydocannabinol (THC+ status), the principal psychoactive constituent in cannabis, was associated with worse WM performance and differential brain response in areas previously linked to WM performance. Furthermore, decreases in blood-activation-level-dependent (BOLD) signal in WM task-positive brain regions and increases in task-negative regions mediated the relationship between THC+ status and WM performance. In contrast, WM performance and BOLD response during the N-back task were not associated with total lifetime cannabis use, age of first use, or other indicators of involvement, suggesting that the effects of cannabis on WM were short-term residual effects, rather than long-term persistent effects. These findings elucidate differential influences of cannabis involvement on neurocognition and have significant potential implications for occupational performance in diverse settings.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Max M Owens
- Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, 125 Baldwin Street, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Shannon McNally
- Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, 125 Baldwin Street, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Tashia Petker
- Michael G. DeGroote Centre for Medicinal Cannabis Research and Peter Boris Centre for Addiction Research, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton/McMaster University, 100 West 5th Street, Hamilton, ON, L8P 3R2, Canada
| | - Michael T Amlung
- Michael G. DeGroote Centre for Medicinal Cannabis Research and Peter Boris Centre for Addiction Research, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton/McMaster University, 100 West 5th Street, Hamilton, ON, L8P 3R2, Canada
| | - Iris M Balodis
- Michael G. DeGroote Centre for Medicinal Cannabis Research and Peter Boris Centre for Addiction Research, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton/McMaster University, 100 West 5th Street, Hamilton, ON, L8P 3R2, Canada
| | - Lawrence H Sweet
- Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, 125 Baldwin Street, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Box G-A1, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
| | - James MacKillop
- Michael G. DeGroote Centre for Medicinal Cannabis Research and Peter Boris Centre for Addiction Research, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton/McMaster University, 100 West 5th Street, Hamilton, ON, L8P 3R2, Canada.
- Homewood Research Institute, Riverslea Building, 150 Delhi Street, Guelph, ON, N1E 6K9, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Karcher NR, Barch DM, Demers CH, Baranger DA, Heath AC, Lynskey MT, Agrawal A. Genetic Predisposition vs Individual-Specific Processes in the Association Between Psychotic-like Experiences and Cannabis Use. JAMA Psychiatry 2019; 76:87-94. [PMID: 30347017 PMCID: PMC6400636 DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2018.2546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Importance Previous research indicates that cannabis use is associated with psychotic-like experiences (PLEs). However, it is unclear whether this association results from predispositional (ie, shared genetic) factors or individual-specific factors (eg, causal processes, such as cannabis use leading to PLEs). Objectives To estimate genetic and environmental correlations between cannabis use and PLEs, and to examine PLEs in twin and nontwin sibling pairs discordant for exposure to cannabis use to disentangle predispositional from individual-specific effects. Design, Setting, and Participants In this cross-sectional analysis, diagnostic interviews and self-reported data were collected from 2 separate population-based samples of twin and nontwin sibling pairs. Data from the Human Connectome Project were collected between August 10, 2012, and September 29, 2015, and data from the Australian Twin Registry Cohort 3 (ATR3) were collected between August 1, 2005, and August 31, 2010. Data were analyzed between August 17, 2017, and July 6, 2018. The study included data from 1188 Human Connectome Project participants and 3486 ATR3 participants, totaling 4674 participants. Main Outcomes and Measures Three cannabis-involvement variables were examined: frequent use (ie, ≥100 times), a DSM-IV lifetime cannabis use disorder diagnosis, and current cannabis use. Genetic and environmental correlations between cannabis involvement and PLEs were estimated. Generalized linear mixed models examined PLE differences in twin and nontwin sibling pairs discordant for cannabis use. Results Among the 4674 participants, the mean (SD) age was 30.5 (3.2) years, and 2923 (62.5%) were female. Data on race/ethnicity were not included as a covariate owing to lack of variability within the ATR3 sample; among the 1188 participants in the Human Connectome Project, 875 (73.7%) were white. Psychotic-like experiences were associated with frequent cannabis use (β = 0.11; 95% CI, 0.08-0.14), cannabis use disorder (β = 0.13; 95% CI, 0.09-0.16), and current cannabis use (β = 0.07; 95% CI, 0.04-0.10) even after adjustment for covariates. Correlated genetic factors explained between 69.2% and 84.1% of this observed association. Within discordant pairs of twins/siblings (Npairs, 308-324), Psychotic-like experiences were more common in cannabis-exposed individuals compared with their relative who used cannabis to a lesser degree (β ≥ .23, P < .05; eg, frequent and infrequent cannabis-using relatives significantly differed, z = -5.41; P < .001). Conclusions and Relevance Despite the strong contribution of shared genetic factors, frequent and problem cannabis use also appears to be associated with PLEs via person-specific pathways. This study's findings suggest that policy discussions surrounding legalization should consider the influence of escalations in cannabis use on traitlike indices of vulnerability, such as PLEs, which could contribute to pervasive psychological and interpersonal burden.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nicole R. Karcher
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Washington University School of
Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Deanna M. Barch
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Washington University School of
Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA
- Dept. of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington
University in Saint Louis, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Catherine H. Demers
- Dept. of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington
University in Saint Louis, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - David A.A. Baranger
- Dept. of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington
University in Saint Louis, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Andrew C. Heath
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Washington University School of
Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Michael T. Lynskey
- Addictions Department, King’s College London,
Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, London, UK
| | - Arpana Agrawal
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Washington University School of
Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Bloomfield MAP, Hindocha C, Green SF, Wall MB, Lees R, Petrilli K, Costello H, Ogunbiyi MO, Bossong MG, Freeman TP. The neuropsychopharmacology of cannabis: A review of human imaging studies. Pharmacol Ther 2018; 195:132-161. [PMID: 30347211 PMCID: PMC6416743 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2018.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 132] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The laws governing cannabis are evolving worldwide and associated with changing patterns of use. The main psychoactive drug in cannabis is Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a partial agonist at the endocannabinoid CB1 receptor. Acutely, cannabis and THC produce a range of effects on several neurocognitive and pharmacological systems. These include effects on executive, emotional, reward and memory processing via direct interactions with the endocannabinoid system and indirect effects on the glutamatergic, GABAergic and dopaminergic systems. Cannabidiol, a non-intoxicating cannabinoid found in some forms of cannabis, may offset some of these acute effects. Heavy repeated cannabis use, particularly during adolescence, has been associated with adverse effects on these systems, which increase the risk of mental illnesses including addiction and psychosis. Here, we provide a comprehensive state of the art review on the acute and chronic neuropsychopharmacology of cannabis by synthesizing the available neuroimaging research in humans. We describe the effects of drug exposure during development, implications for understanding psychosis and cannabis use disorder, and methodological considerations. Greater understanding of the precise mechanisms underlying the effects of cannabis may also give rise to new treatment targets.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael A P Bloomfield
- Translational Psychiatry Research Group, Research Department of Mental Health Neuroscience, Division of Psychiatry, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, United Kingdom; Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, United Kingdom; Psychiatric Imaging Group, MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom; NIHR University College London Hospitals Biomedical Research Centre, University College Hospital, London, United Kingdom; Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, United Kingdom.
| | - Chandni Hindocha
- Translational Psychiatry Research Group, Research Department of Mental Health Neuroscience, Division of Psychiatry, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, United Kingdom; Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, United Kingdom; NIHR University College London Hospitals Biomedical Research Centre, University College Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sebastian F Green
- Translational Psychiatry Research Group, Research Department of Mental Health Neuroscience, Division of Psychiatry, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew B Wall
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, United Kingdom; Centre for Neuropsychopharmacology, Division of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, United Kingdom; Invicro UK, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Rachel Lees
- Translational Psychiatry Research Group, Research Department of Mental Health Neuroscience, Division of Psychiatry, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, United Kingdom; Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, United Kingdom; Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, United Kingdom
| | - Katherine Petrilli
- Translational Psychiatry Research Group, Research Department of Mental Health Neuroscience, Division of Psychiatry, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, United Kingdom; Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, United Kingdom; Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, United Kingdom
| | - Harry Costello
- Translational Psychiatry Research Group, Research Department of Mental Health Neuroscience, Division of Psychiatry, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, United Kingdom
| | - M Olabisi Ogunbiyi
- Translational Psychiatry Research Group, Research Department of Mental Health Neuroscience, Division of Psychiatry, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, United Kingdom
| | - Matthijs G Bossong
- Department of Psychiatry, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Tom P Freeman
- Translational Psychiatry Research Group, Research Department of Mental Health Neuroscience, Division of Psychiatry, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, United Kingdom; Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, United Kingdom; Department of Psychology, University of Bath, United Kingdom; National Addiction Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Kim DJ, Schnakenberg Martin AM, Shin YW, Jo HJ, Cheng H, Newman SD, Sporns O, Hetrick WP, Calkins E, O'Donnell BF. Aberrant structural-functional coupling in adult cannabis users. Hum Brain Mapp 2018; 40:252-261. [PMID: 30203892 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.24369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2018] [Revised: 08/09/2018] [Accepted: 08/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cellular studies indicate that endocannabinoid type-1 retrograde signaling plays a major role in synaptic plasticity. Disruption of these processes by delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) could produce alterations either in structural and functional brain connectivity or in their association in cannabis (CB) users. Graph theoretic structural and functional networks were generated with diffusion tensor imaging and resting-state functional imaging in 37 current CB users and 31 healthy non-users. The primary outcome measures were coupling between structural and functional connectivity, global network characteristics, association between the coupling and network properties, and measures of rich-club organization. Structural-functional (SC-FC) coupling was globally preserved showing a positive association in current CB users. However, the users had disrupted associations between SC-FC coupling and network topological characteristics, most perturbed for shorter connections implying region-specific disruption by CB use. Rich-club analysis revealed impaired SC-FC coupling in the hippocampus and caudate of users. This study provides evidence of the abnormal SC-FC association in CB users. The effect was predominant in shorter connections of the brain network, suggesting that the impact of CB use or predispositional factors may be most apparent in local interconnections. Notably, the hippocampus and caudate specifically showed aberrant structural and functional coupling. These structures have high CB1 receptor density and may also be associated with changes in learning and habit formation that occur with chronic cannabis use.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dae-Jin Kim
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
| | | | - Yong-Wook Shin
- Department of Psychiatry, Ulsan University School of Medicine, ASAN Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Hang Joon Jo
- Department of Neurologic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Hu Cheng
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana.,Imaging Research Facility, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
| | - Sharlene D Newman
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana.,Imaging Research Facility, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
| | - Olaf Sporns
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana.,Indiana University Network Science Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
| | - William P Hetrick
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
| | - Eli Calkins
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
| | - Brian F O'Donnell
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Scott JC, Slomiak ST, Jones JD, Rosen AFG, Moore TM, Gur RC. Association of Cannabis With Cognitive Functioning in Adolescents and Young Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA Psychiatry 2018; 75:585-595. [PMID: 29710074 PMCID: PMC6137521 DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2018.0335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 226] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Substantial shifts in perception and policy regarding cannabis have recently occurred, with use of cannabis increasing while its perceived harm decreases. One possible risk of increased cannabis use is poorer cognitive functioning, especially in youth. OBJECTIVE To provide the first quantitative synthesis of the literature examining cannabis and cognitive functioning in adolescents and young adults (with a mean age of 26 years and younger). DATA SOURCES PubMed, PsycInfo, Academic Search Premier, Scopus, and bibliographies of relevant reviews were searched for peer-reviewed, English-language studies from the date the databases began through May 2017. STUDY SELECTION Consensus criteria were used to determine study inclusion through abstract and manuscript review. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS This study followed Meta-analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines. Effect size estimates were calculated using multivariate mixed-effects models for cognitive functioning outcomes classified into 10 domains. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Results from neurocognitive tests administered in cross-sectional studies were primary outcomes, and we examined the influence of a priori explanatory variables on variability in effect size. RESULTS Sixty-nine studies of 2152 cannabis users (mean [SD] age, 20.6 [2.8] years; 1472 [68.4%] male) and 6575 comparison participants with minimal cannabis exposure were included (mean [SD] age, 20.8 [3.4]; 3669 [55.8%] male). Results indicated a small overall effect size (presented as mean d) for reduced cognitive functioning associated with frequent or heavy cannabis use (d, -0.25; 95% CI, -0.32 to -0.17; P < .001). The magnitude of effect sizes did not vary by sample age or age at cannabis use onset. However, studies requiring an abstinence period longer than 72 hours (15 studies; n = 928) had an overall effect size (d, -0.08; 95% CI, -0.22 to 0.07) that was not significantly different from 0 and smaller than studies with less stringent abstinence criteria (54 studies; n = 7799; d, -0.30; 95% CI, -0.37 to -0.22; P = .01). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Associations between cannabis use and cognitive functioning in cross-sectional studies of adolescents and young adults are small and may be of questionable clinical importance for most individuals. Furthermore, abstinence of longer than 72 hours diminishes cognitive deficits associated with cannabis use. Although other outcomes (eg, psychosis) were not examined in the included studies, results indicate that previous studies of cannabis in youth may have overstated the magnitude and persistence of cognitive deficits associated with use. Reported deficits may reflect residual effects from acute use or withdrawal. Future studies should examine individual differences in susceptibility to cannabis-associated cognitive dysfunction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- J. Cobb Scott
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia,Veterans Integrated Service Network 4 Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center at the Philadelphia VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Samantha T. Slomiak
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Jason D. Jones
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Adon F. G. Rosen
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Tyler M. Moore
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Ruben C. Gur
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia,Veterans Integrated Service Network 4 Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center at the Philadelphia VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Agrawal A, Chou YL, Carey CE, Baranger DAA, Zhang B, Sherva R, Wetherill L, Kapoor M, Wang JC, Bertelsen S, Anokhin AP, Hesselbrock V, Kramer J, Lynskey MT, Meyers JL, Nurnberger JI, Rice JP, Tischfield J, Bierut LJ, Degenhardt L, Farrer LA, Gelernter J, Hariri AR, Heath AC, Kranzler HR, Madden PAF, Martin NG, Montgomery GW, Porjesz B, Wang T, Whitfield JB, Edenberg HJ, Foroud T, Goate AM, Bogdan R, Nelson EC. Genome-wide association study identifies a novel locus for cannabis dependence. Mol Psychiatry 2018; 23:1293-1302. [PMID: 29112194 PMCID: PMC5938138 DOI: 10.1038/mp.2017.200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2016] [Revised: 06/26/2017] [Accepted: 07/13/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Despite moderate heritability, only one study has identified genome-wide significant loci for cannabis-related phenotypes. We conducted meta-analyses of genome-wide association study data on 2080 cannabis-dependent cases and 6435 cannabis-exposed controls of European descent. A cluster of correlated single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in a novel region on chromosome 10 was genome-wide significant (lowest P=1.3E-8). Among the SNPs, rs1409568 showed enrichment for H3K4me1 and H3K427ac marks, suggesting its role as an enhancer in addiction-relevant brain regions, such as the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the angular and cingulate gyri. This SNP is also predicted to modify binding scores for several transcription factors. We found modest evidence for replication for rs1409568 in an independent cohort of African American (896 cases and 1591 controls; P=0.03) but not European American (EA; 781 cases and 1905 controls) participants. The combined meta-analysis (3757 cases and 9931 controls) indicated trend-level significance for rs1409568 (P=2.85E-7). No genome-wide significant loci emerged for cannabis dependence criterion count (n=8050). There was also evidence that the minor allele of rs1409568 was associated with a 2.1% increase in right hippocampal volume in an independent sample of 430 EA college students (fwe-P=0.008). The identification and characterization of genome-wide significant loci for cannabis dependence is among the first steps toward understanding the biological contributions to the etiology of this psychiatric disorder, which appears to be rising in some developed nations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Arpana Agrawal
- Washington University School of Medicine, Dept. of Psychiatry, 660 S. Euclid, CB 8134, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Yi-Ling Chou
- Washington University School of Medicine, Dept. of Psychiatry, 660 S. Euclid, CB 8134, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Caitlin E. Carey
- Washington University in St. Louis, Dept. of Psychological and Brain Sciences, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - David A. A. Baranger
- Washington University in St. Louis, Dept. of Psychological and Brain Sciences, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Bo Zhang
- Washington University School of Medicine, Dept. of Developmental Biology, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Richard Sherva
- Boston University School of Medicine, Dept. of Medicine (Biomedical Genetics), Boston, MA, USA
| | - Leah Wetherill
- Indiana University School of Medicine, Dept. of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Manav Kapoor
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Dept. of Neuroscience, New York, NY USA
| | - Jen-Chyong Wang
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Dept. of Neuroscience, New York, NY USA
| | - Sarah Bertelsen
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Dept. of Neuroscience, New York, NY USA
| | - Andrey P Anokhin
- Washington University School of Medicine, Dept. of Psychiatry, 660 S. Euclid, CB 8134, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Victor Hesselbrock
- University of Connecticut Health, Dept. of Psychiatry, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - John Kramer
- University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Dept. of Psychiatry, Iowa City, IA USA
| | - Michael T. Lynskey
- King’s College, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Addictions Department, London, UK
| | - Jacquelyn L. Meyers
- State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center, Dept. of Psychiatry, Brooklyn, NY USA
| | - John I Nurnberger
- Indiana University School of Medicine, Depts. of Psychiatry and Medical and Molecular Genetics, and Stark Neuroscience Center, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - John P. Rice
- Washington University School of Medicine, Dept. of Psychiatry, 660 S. Euclid, CB 8134, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Jay Tischfield
- Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey: New Brunswick, NJ, United States
| | - Laura J. Bierut
- Washington University School of Medicine, Dept. of Psychiatry, 660 S. Euclid, CB 8134, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Louisa Degenhardt
- National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Lindsay A Farrer
- Boston University School of Medicine, Dept. of Medicine (Biomedical Genetics), Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joel Gelernter
- Yale University School of Medicine: New Haven, CT, USA
- US Department of Veterans Affairs: West Haven, CT, USA
| | - Ahmad R. Hariri
- Duke University, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Andrew C. Heath
- Washington University School of Medicine, Dept. of Psychiatry, 660 S. Euclid, CB 8134, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Henry R. Kranzler
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, VISN 4 MIRECC, Crescenz VAMC, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Pamela A. F. Madden
- Washington University School of Medicine, Dept. of Psychiatry, 660 S. Euclid, CB 8134, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | | | - Grant W Montgomery
- University of Queensland, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Queensland, Australia
| | - Bernice Porjesz
- State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center, Dept. of Psychiatry, Brooklyn, NY USA
| | - Ting Wang
- Washington University School of Medicine, Department of Genetics, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | | | - Howard J. Edenberg
- Indiana University School of Medicine, Dept. of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indianapolis, IN, USA
- Indiana University, Dept. of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Tatiana Foroud
- Indiana University School of Medicine, Dept. of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Alison M. Goate
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Dept. of Neuroscience, New York, NY USA
| | - Ryan Bogdan
- Washington University in St. Louis, Dept. of Psychological and Brain Sciences, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Elliot C. Nelson
- Washington University School of Medicine, Dept. of Psychiatry, 660 S. Euclid, CB 8134, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Gillespie NA, Neale MC, Bates TC, Eyler LT, Fennema-Notestine C, Vassileva J, Lyons MJ, Prom-Wormley EC, McMahon KL, Thompson PM, de Zubicaray G, Hickie IB, McGrath JJ, Strike LT, Rentería ME, Panizzon MS, Martin NG, Franz CE, Kremen WS, Wright MJ. Testing associations between cannabis use and subcortical volumes in two large population-based samples. Addiction 2018; 113:10.1111/add.14252. [PMID: 29691937 PMCID: PMC6200645 DOI: 10.1111/add.14252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2017] [Revised: 05/26/2017] [Accepted: 04/06/2018] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Disentangling the putative impact of cannabis on brain morphology from other comorbid substance use is critical. After controlling for the effects of nicotine, alcohol and multi-substance use, this study aimed to determine whether frequent cannabis use is associated with significantly smaller subcortical grey matter volumes. DESIGN Exploratory analyses using mixed linear models, one per region of interest (ROI), were performed whereby individual differences in volume (outcome) at seven subcortical ROIs were regressed onto cannabis and comorbid substance use (predictors). SETTING Two large population-based twin samples from the United States and Australia. PARTICIPANTS A total of 622 young Australian adults [66% female; μage = 25.9, standard deviation SD) = 3.6] and 474 middle-aged US males (μage = 56.1SD = 2.6 ) of predominately Anglo-Saxon ancestry with complete substance use and imaging data. Subjects with a history of stroke or traumatic brain injury were excluded. MEASUREMENTS Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and volumetric segmentation methods were used to estimate volume in seven subcortical ROIs: thalamus, caudate nucleus, putamen, pallidum, hippocampus, amygdala and nucleus accumbens. Substance use measurements included maximum nicotine and alcohol use, total life-time multi-substance use, maximum cannabis use in the young adults and regular cannabis use in the middle-aged males. FINDINGS After correcting for multiple testing (P = 0.007), cannabis use was unrelated to any subcortical ROI. However, maximum nicotine use was associated with significantly smaller thalamus volumes in middle-aged males. CONCLUSIONS In exploratory analyses based on young adult and middle-aged samples, normal variation in cannabis use is unrelated statistically to individual differences in brain morphology as measured by subcortical volume.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nathan A. Gillespie
- Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavior Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, VA, USA
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, QLD, Australia
| | - Michael C. Neale
- Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavior Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, VA, USA
| | | | - Lisa T. Eyler
- Desert-Pacific Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, VA San Diego Healthcare System, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, CA, USA
| | | | - Jasmin Vassileva
- Institute for Drug and Alcohol Studies, Virginia Commonwealth University, VA, USA
| | - Michael J. Lyons
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Katie L. McMahon
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, QLD, Australia
| | - Paul M. Thompson
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, QLD, Australia
| | - Greig de Zubicaray
- School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, QLD, Australia
- Faculty of Health and Institute of Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology
| | - Ian B. Hickie
- Brain and Mind Research Institute, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - John J. McGrath
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, QLD, Australia
| | - Lachlan T. Strike
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, QLD, Australia
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, QLD, Australia
- School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, QLD, Australia
| | | | | | | | - Carol E. Franz
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, CA, USA
| | - William S. Kremen
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Margaret J. Wright
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, QLD, Australia
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, QLD, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Batalla A, Lorenzetti V, Chye Y, Yücel M, Soriano-Mas C, Bhattacharyya S, Torrens M, Crippa JAS, Martín-Santos R. The Influence of DAT1, COMT, and BDNF Genetic Polymorphisms on Total and Subregional Hippocampal Volumes in Early Onset Heavy Cannabis Users. Cannabis Cannabinoid Res 2018; 3:1-10. [PMID: 29404409 PMCID: PMC5797324 DOI: 10.1089/can.2017.0021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Hippocampal neuroanatomy is affected by genetic variations in dopaminergic candidate genes and environmental insults, such as early onset of chronic cannabis exposure. Here, we examine how hippocampal total and subregional volumes are affected by cannabis use and functional polymorphisms of dopamine-relevant genes, including the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT), dopamine transporter (DAT1), and the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) genes. Material and Methods: We manually traced total hippocampal volumes and automatically segmented hippocampal subregions using high-resolution MRI images, and performed COMT, DAT1, and BDNF genotyping in 59 male Caucasian young adults aged 18–30 years. These included 30 chronic cannabis users with early-onset (regular use at <16 years) and 29 age-, education-, and intelligence-matched controls. Results: Cannabis use and dopaminergic gene polymorphism had both distinct and interactive effects on the hippocampus. We found emerging alterations of hippocampal total and specific subregional volumes in cannabis users relative to controls (i.e., CA1, CA2/3, and CA4), and associations between cannabis use levels and total and specific subregional volumes. Furthermore, total hippocampal volume and the fissure subregion were affected by cannabis×DAT1 polymorphism (i.e., 9/9R and in 10/10R alleles), reflecting high and low levels of dopamine availability. Conclusion: These findings suggest that cannabis exposure alters the normal relationship between DAT1 polymorphism and the anatomy of total and subregional hippocampal volumes, and that specific hippocampal subregions may be particularly affected.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Albert Batalla
- Department of Psychiatry, Clinical Institute of Neuroscience, Hospital Clínic, IDIBAPS, CIBERSAM and Department of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Psychiatry, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Nijmegen Institute for Scientist-Practitioners in Addiction (NISPA), Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Valentina Lorenzetti
- School of Psychological Sciences, Institute of Psychology Health and Society, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom.,Laboratory for Brain and Mental Health, Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences and School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Yann Chye
- Laboratory for Brain and Mental Health, Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences and School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Murat Yücel
- Laboratory for Brain and Mental Health, Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences and School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Carles Soriano-Mas
- Department of Psychiatry, Bellvitge University Hospital-IDIBELL, CIBERSAM G-17, and Department of Psychobiology and Methodology in Health Sciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sagnik Bhattacharyya
- Department of Psychosis Studies, King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, London, United Kingdom
| | - Marta Torrens
- Institute of Neuropsychiatry and Addictions, Hospital del Mar, IMIM (Institut Hospital del Mar d'Investigacions Mèdiques), Psychiatric Department of Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - José A S Crippa
- Department of Neuroscience and Behavior, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil.,Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia Translacional em Medicina Translational Medicine (INCT-TM), National Council for Scientific and Technological Development, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rocío Martín-Santos
- Department of Psychiatry, Clinical Institute of Neuroscience, Hospital Clínic, IDIBAPS, CIBERSAM and Department of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Institute of Neuropsychiatry and Addictions, Hospital del Mar, IMIM (Institut Hospital del Mar d'Investigacions Mèdiques), Psychiatric Department of Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Neuroscience and Behavior, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil.,Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia Translacional em Medicina Translational Medicine (INCT-TM), National Council for Scientific and Technological Development, São Paulo, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Moreno-Alcázar A, Gonzalvo B, Canales-Rodríguez EJ, Blanco L, Bachiller D, Romaguera A, Monté-Rubio GC, Roncero C, McKenna PJ, Pomarol-Clotet E. Larger Gray Matter Volume in the Basal Ganglia of Heavy Cannabis Users Detected by Voxel-Based Morphometry and Subcortical Volumetric Analysis. Front Psychiatry 2018; 9:175. [PMID: 29773998 PMCID: PMC5943550 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2017] [Accepted: 04/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Structural imaging studies of cannabis users have found evidence of both cortical and subcortical volume reductions, especially in cannabinoid receptor-rich regions such as the hippocampus and amygdala. However, the findings have not been consistent. In the present study, we examined a sample of adult heavy cannabis users without other substance abuse to determine whether long-term use is associated with brain structural changes, especially in the subcortical regions. Method: We compared the gray matter volume of 14 long-term, heavy cannabis users with non-using controls. To provide robust findings, we conducted two separate studies using two different MRI techniques. Each study used the same sample of cannabis users and a different control group, respectively. Both control groups were independent of each other. First, whole-brain voxel-based morphometry (VBM) was used to compare the cannabis users against 28 matched controls (HC1 group). Second, a volumetric analysis of subcortical regions was performed to assess differences between the cannabis users and a sample of 100 matched controls (HC2 group) obtained from a local database of healthy volunteers. Results: The VBM study revealed that, compared to the control group HC1, the cannabis users did not show cortical differences nor smaller volume in any subcortical structure but showed a cluster (p < 0.001) of larger GM volume in the basal ganglia, involving the caudate, putamen, pallidum, and nucleus accumbens, bilaterally. The subcortical volumetric analysis revealed that, compared to the control group HC2, the cannabis users showed significantly larger volumes in the putamen (p = 0.001) and pallidum (p = 0.0015). Subtle trends, only significant at the uncorrected level, were also found in the caudate (p = 0.05) and nucleus accumbens (p = 0.047). Conclusions: This study does not support previous findings of hippocampal and/or amygdala structural changes in long-term, heavy cannabis users. It does, however, provide evidence of basal ganglia volume increases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ana Moreno-Alcázar
- FIDMAG Germanes Hospitalàries Research Foundation, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental, Madrid, Spain.,Centre Fòrum Research Unit, Institut de Neuropsiquiatria i Addiccions, Parc de Salut Mar, Barcelona, Spain.,IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Begoña Gonzalvo
- Benito Menni Complex Assistencial en Salut Mental, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Erick J Canales-Rodríguez
- FIDMAG Germanes Hospitalàries Research Foundation, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Radiology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Signal Processing Lab (LTS5), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Laura Blanco
- Benito Menni Complex Assistencial en Salut Mental, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Diana Bachiller
- Addictions and Dual Diagnosis Unit, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital-Public Health Agency of Barcelona (ASPB), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Anna Romaguera
- FIDMAG Germanes Hospitalàries Research Foundation, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gemma C Monté-Rubio
- FIDMAG Germanes Hospitalàries Research Foundation, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental, Madrid, Spain
| | - Carlos Roncero
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental, Madrid, Spain.,Addictions and Dual Diagnosis Unit, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital-Public Health Agency of Barcelona (ASPB), Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Psychiatry, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain.,Psychiatric Service, University of Salamanca Health Care Complex, Salamanca, Spain.,Institute of Biomedicine of Salamanca, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Peter J McKenna
- FIDMAG Germanes Hospitalàries Research Foundation, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental, Madrid, Spain
| | - Edith Pomarol-Clotet
- FIDMAG Germanes Hospitalàries Research Foundation, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental, Madrid, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Thayer RE, YorkWilliams S, Karoly HC, Sabbineni A, Ewing SF, Bryan AD, Hutchison KE. Structural neuroimaging correlates of alcohol and cannabis use in adolescents and adults. Addiction 2017. [PMID: 28646566 PMCID: PMC5673530 DOI: 10.1111/add.13923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Chronic alcohol use is associated with lower gray matter volume, and we reported recently that alcohol use showed negative associations with widespread gray matter (GM) volume even among young adults. The current study aimed to test the strength of association between (1) alcohol use and GM volume; (2) alcohol use and white matter (WM) integrity; (3) cannabis use and GM volume; and (4) cannabis use and WM integrity among adults and adolescents. DESIGN AND SETTING General linear models within large pooled cross-sectional samples of adolescents and adults who had participated in studies collecting substance use and neuroimaging data in the southwestern United States. PARTICIPANTS The current analysis included adults aged 18-55 years (n = 853) and adolescents aged 14-18 years (n = 439) with a range of alcohol and cannabis use. MEASUREMENTS The dependent variable was GM volume or WM integrity, with key predictors of alcohol use [Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) score] and cannabis use (past 30-day use). FINDINGS Alcohol use showed large clusters of negative associations (ηp2 = 0.028-0.145, P < 0.001) with GM volume among adults and to a lesser extent (one cluster; ηp2 = 0.070, P < 0.05) among adolescents. Large clusters showed significant associations (ηp2 = 0.050-0.124, P < 0.001) of higher alcohol use with poorer WM integrity, whereas adolescents showed no significant associations between alcohol use and WM. No associations were observed between structural measures and past 30-day cannabis use in adults or adolescents. CONCLUSIONS Alcohol use severity is associated with widespread lower gray matter volume and white matter integrity in adults, and with lower gray matter volume in adolescents.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rachel E. Thayer
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO
| | - Sophie YorkWilliams
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO
| | - Hollis C. Karoly
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO
| | - Amithrupa Sabbineni
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO
| | | | - Angela D. Bryan
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO
| | - Kent E. Hutchison
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Manza P, Tomasi D, Volkow ND. Subcortical Local Functional Hyperconnectivity in Cannabis Dependence. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY: COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2017; 3:285-293. [PMID: 29486870 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2017.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2017] [Revised: 10/10/2017] [Accepted: 11/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cannabis abuse (CA) has been associated with psychopathology, including negative emotionality and higher risk of psychosis, particularly with early age of initiation. However, the mechanisms underlying this association are poorly understood. Because aberrant dopamine signaling is implicated in cannabis-associated psychopathology, we hypothesized that regular CA would be associated with altered resting-state functional connectivity in dopamine midbrain-striatal circuits. METHODS We examined resting-state brain activity of subcortical regions in 441 young adults from the Human Connectome Project, including 30 subjects with CA meeting DSM-IV criteria for dependence and 30 control subjects matched on age, sex, education, body mass index, anxiety, depression, and alcohol and tobacco usage. RESULTS Across all subjects, local functional connectivity density hubs in subcortical regions were most prominent in ventral striatum, hippocampus, amygdala, dorsal midbrain, and posterior-ventral brainstem. As hypothesized, subjects with CA showed markedly increased local functional connectivity density relative to control subjects, not only in ventral striatum (where nucleus accumbens is located) and midbrain (where substantia nigra and ventral tegmental nuclei are located) but also in brainstem and lateral thalamus. These effects were observed in the absence of significant differences in subcortical volumes and were most pronounced in individuals who began cannabis use earliest in life and who reported high levels of negative emotionality. CONCLUSIONS Together, these findings suggest that chronic CA is associated with changes in resting-state brain function, particularly in dopaminergic nuclei implicated in psychosis but that are also critical for habit formation and reward processing. These results shed light on neurobiological differences that may be relevant to psychopathology associated with cannabis use.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peter Manza
- National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.
| | - Dardo Tomasi
- National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Nora D Volkow
- National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland; National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
The utility of twins in developmental cognitive neuroscience research: How twins strengthen the ABCD research design. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2017; 32:30-42. [PMID: 29107609 PMCID: PMC5847422 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2017.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2017] [Revised: 08/31/2017] [Accepted: 09/05/2017] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The ABCD twin study will elucidate the genetic and environmental contributions to a wide range of mental and physical health outcomes in children, including substance use, brain and behavioral development, and their interrelationship. Comparisons within and between monozygotic and dizygotic twin pairs, further powered by multiple assessments, provide information about genetic and environmental contributions to developmental associations, and enable stronger tests of causal hypotheses, than do comparisons involving unrelated children. Thus a sub-study of 800 pairs of same-sex twins was embedded within the overall Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD) design. The ABCD Twin Hub comprises four leading centers for twin research in Minnesota, Colorado, Virginia, and Missouri. Each site is enrolling 200 twin pairs, as well as singletons. The twins are recruited from registries of all twin births in each State during 2006-2008. Singletons at each site are recruited following the same school-based procedures as the rest of the ABCD study. This paper describes the background and rationale for the ABCD twin study, the ascertainment of twin pairs and implementation strategy at each site, and the details of the proposed analytic strategies to quantify genetic and environmental influences and test hypotheses critical to the aims of the ABCD study.
Collapse
|
41
|
Englund A, Freeman TP, Murray RM, McGuire P. Can we make cannabis safer? Lancet Psychiatry 2017; 4:643-648. [PMID: 28259650 DOI: 10.1016/s2215-0366(17)30075-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2016] [Revised: 10/10/2016] [Accepted: 11/09/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Cannabis use and related problems are on the rise globally alongside an increase in the potency of cannabis sold on both black and legal markets. Additionally, there has been a shift towards abandoning prohibition for a less punitive and more permissive legal stance on cannabis, such as decriminalisation and legalisation. It is therefore crucial that we explore new and innovative ways to reduce harm. Research has found cannabis with high concentrations of its main active ingredient, δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), to be more harmful (in terms of causing the main risks associated with cannabis use, such as addiction, psychosis, and cognitive impairment) than cannabis with lower concentrations of THC. By contrast, cannabidiol, which is a non-intoxicating and potentially therapeutic component of cannabis, has been found to reduce the negative effects of cannabis use. Here, we briefly review findings from studies investigating various types of cannabis and discuss how future research can help to better understand and reduce the risks of cannabis use.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amir Englund
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
| | - Tom P Freeman
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, London, UK
| | - Robin M Murray
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Philip McGuire
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Murray RM, Englund A, Abi-Dargham A, Lewis DA, Di Forti M, Davies C, Sherif M, McGuire P, D'Souza DC. Cannabis-associated psychosis: Neural substrate and clinical impact. Neuropharmacology 2017. [PMID: 28634109 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2017.06.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Prospective epidemiological studies have consistently demonstrated that cannabis use is associated with an increased subsequent risk of both psychotic symptoms and schizophrenia-like psychoses. Early onset of use, daily use of high-potency cannabis, and synthetic cannabinoids carry the greatest risk. The risk-increasing effects are not explained by shared genetic predisposition between schizophrenia and cannabis use. Experimental studies in healthy humans show that cannabis and its active ingredient, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), can produce transient, dose-dependent, psychotic symptoms, as well as an array of psychosis-relevant behavioral, cognitive and psychophysiological effects; the psychotogenic effects can be ameliorated by cannabidiol (CBD). Findings from structural imaging studies in cannabis users have been inconsistent but functional MRI studies have linked the psychotomimetic and cognitive effects of THC to activation in brain regions implicated in psychosis. Human PET studies have shown that acute administration of THC weakly releases dopamine in the striatum but that chronic users are characterised by low striatal dopamine. We are beginning to understand how cannabis use impacts on the endocannabinoid system but there is much still to learn about the biological mechanisms underlying how cannabis increases risk of psychosis. This article is part of the Special Issue entitled "A New Dawn in Cannabinoid Neurobiology".
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- R M Murray
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College, London, UK.
| | - A Englund
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College, London, UK
| | - A Abi-Dargham
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, New York, USA
| | - D A Lewis
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburg, PA, USA
| | - M Di Forti
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College, London, UK
| | - C Davies
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College, London, UK
| | - M Sherif
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, CT, USA
| | - P McGuire
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College, London, UK
| | - D C D'Souza
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, CT, USA
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Nader DA, Sanchez ZM. Effects of regular cannabis use on neurocognition, brain structure, and function: a systematic review of findings in adults. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE 2017; 44:4-18. [DOI: 10.1080/00952990.2017.1306746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Danilo A. Nader
- Departmento de Medicina Preventiva, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Zila M. Sanchez
- Departmento de Medicina Preventiva, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Although peer influence is an important factor in the initiation and maintenance of cannabis use, few studies have investigated the neural correlates of peer influence among cannabis users. The current review summarizes research on the neuroscience of social influence in cannabis users, with the goal of highlighting gaps in the literature and the need for future research. RECENT FINDINGS Brain regions underlying peer influence may function differently in cannabis users. Compared to non-using controls, regions of the brain underlying reward, such as the striatum, show greater connectivity with frontal regions, and also show hyperactivity when participants are presented with peer information. Other subcortical regions, such as the insula, show hypoactivation during social exclusion in cannabis users, indicating that neural responses to peer interactions may be altered in cannabis users. SUMMARY Although neuroscience is increasingly being used to study social behavior, few studies have specifically focused on cannabis use, and therefore it is difficult to draw conclusions about social mechanisms that may differentiate cannabis users and controls. This area of research may be a promising avenue in which to explore a critical factor underlying cannabis use and addiction.
Collapse
|
45
|
Schuch-Goi SB, Goi PD, Bermudez M, Fara LS, Kessler FP, Pechansky F, Gama CS, Massuda R, von Diemen L. Accumbens volumes are reduced among crack-cocaine users. Neurosci Lett 2017; 645:86-89. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2017.02.073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2016] [Revised: 02/26/2017] [Accepted: 02/27/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
|
46
|
Resting-State Functional Connectivity in the Human Connectome Project: Current Status and Relevance to Understanding Psychopathology. Harv Rev Psychiatry 2017; 25:209-217. [PMID: 28816791 PMCID: PMC5644502 DOI: 10.1097/hrp.0000000000000166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
A key tenet of modern psychiatry is that psychiatric disorders arise from abnormalities in brain circuits that support human behavior. Our ability to examine hypotheses around circuit-level abnormalities in psychiatric disorders has been made possible by advances in human neuroimaging technologies. These advances have provided the basis for recent efforts to develop a more complex understanding of the function of brain circuits in health and of their relationship to behavior-providing, in turn, a foundation for our understanding of how disruptions in such circuits contribute to the development of psychiatric disorders. This review focuses on the use of resting-state functional connectivity MRI to assess brain circuits, on the advances generated by the Human Connectome Project, and on how these advances potentially contribute to understanding neural circuit dysfunction in psychopathology. The review gives particular attention to the methods developed by the Human Connectome Project that may be especially relevant to studies of psychopathology; it outlines some of the key findings about what constitutes a brain region; and it highlights new information about the nature and stability of brain circuits. Some of the Human Connectome Project's new findings particularly relevant to psychopathology-about neural circuits and their relationships to behavior-are also presented. The review ends by discussing the extension of Human Connectome Project methods across the lifespan and into manifest illness. Potential treatment implications are also considered.
Collapse
|
47
|
McKetin R, Parasu P, Cherbuin N, Eramudugolla R, Anstey KJ. A longitudinal examination of the relationship between cannabis use and cognitive function in mid-life adults. Drug Alcohol Depend 2016; 169:134-140. [PMID: 27810656 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2016.10.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2016] [Revised: 10/12/2016] [Accepted: 10/17/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The relationship between cannabis use and cognitive function in mid-life has rarely been examined despite verbal learning deficits in young adults. METHOD A longitudinal cohort study of 1,897 Australians recruited at 40-46 years of age and followed up 4 years (94%) and 8 years (87%) later. Random effects regression was used to assess within- and between-person associations between cannabis use and cognitive function across waves of data, and examine whether age-related changes in cognitive performance were modified by cannabis use. The first list of the California Verbal Learning Test (immediate and delayed recall), Symbol Digit Modality Test, Digit Backwards, simple and choice reaction time tasks, were administered at each wave. The Spot-the-Word test was used to assess premorbid verbal ability. Self-reported cannabis use in the past year (no use, < weekly use,≥weekly use) was assessed at each wave. FINDINGS Participants who used cannabis≥weekly had worse immediate recall (b=-0.68, p=0.014) and showed a trend toward worse delayed recall (b=-0.55, p=0.062) compared to non-users after adjusting for correlates of cannabis use and premorbid verbal ability. These effects were due to between-person differences. There were no significant within-person associations between cannabis use and recall, nor was there evidence of greater cognitive decline in cannabis users with age. CONCLUSIONS Mid-life cannabis users had poorer verbal recall than non-users, but this was not related to their current level of cannabis use, and cannabis use was not associated with accelerated cognitive decline.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca McKetin
- National Drug Research Institute, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Australia; Centre for Research on Ageing, Health and Wellbeing, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.
| | - Praneeth Parasu
- Centre for Research on Ageing, Health and Wellbeing, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.
| | - Nicolas Cherbuin
- Centre for Research on Ageing, Health and Wellbeing, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.
| | - Ranmalee Eramudugolla
- Centre for Research on Ageing, Health and Wellbeing, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.
| | - Kaarin J Anstey
- Centre for Research on Ageing, Health and Wellbeing, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Trull TJ, Wycoff AM, Lane SP, Carpenter RW, Brown WC. Cannabis and alcohol use, affect and impulsivity in psychiatric out-patients' daily lives. Addiction 2016; 111:2052-2059. [PMID: 27270874 PMCID: PMC5056804 DOI: 10.1111/add.13471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2016] [Revised: 03/15/2016] [Accepted: 05/26/2016] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Cannabis and alcohol are the most commonly used (il)licit drugs world-wide. We compared the effects of cannabis and alcohol use on within-person changes in impulsivity, hostility and positive affect at the momentary and daily levels, as they occurred in daily life. DESIGN Observational study involving ecological momentary assessments collected via electronic diaries six random times a day for 28 consecutive days. SETTING Out-patients' everyday life contexts in Columbia, MO, USA. PARTICIPANTS Ninety-three adult psychiatric out-patients (85% female; mean = 30.9 years old) with borderline personality or depressive disorders, who reported using only cannabis (n = 3), only alcohol (n = 58) or both (n = 32) at least once during the study period. MEASUREMENTS Real-time, standard self-report measures of impulsivity, hostility and positive affect, as impacted by momentary reports of cannabis and alcohol use. FINDINGS Cannabis use was associated with elevated feelings of impulsivity at the day level [b = 0.83, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.17-1.49] and increased hostility at the momentary (b = 0.07, 95% CI = 0.01-0.12) and person (b = 0.81, 95% CI = 0.15-1.47) level. Alcohol use was associated with elevated feelings of impulsivity at the momentary (b = 0.42, 95% CI = 0.13-0.71) and day levels (b = 0.82, 95% CI = 0.22-1.41) and increased positive affect at the momentary (b = 0.12, 95% CI = 0.06-0.18) and day (b = 0.33, 95% CI = 0.16-0.49) levels. CONCLUSIONS Cannabis and alcohol use are associated with increases in impulsivity (both), hostility (cannabis) and positive affect (alcohol) in daily life, and these effects are part of separate processes that operate on different time-scales (i.e. momentary versus daily).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Timothy J Trull
- University of Missouri and Midwest Alcoholism Research Center, Columbia, MO, USA.
| | - Andrea M Wycoff
- University of Missouri and Midwest Alcoholism Research Center, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Sean P Lane
- University of Missouri and Midwest Alcoholism Research Center, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Ryan W Carpenter
- University of Missouri and Midwest Alcoholism Research Center, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Whitney C Brown
- Research Institute on Addiction, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Murray RM, Quigley H, Quattrone D, Englund A, Di Forti M. Traditional marijuana, high-potency cannabis and synthetic cannabinoids: increasing risk for psychosis. World Psychiatry 2016; 15:195-204. [PMID: 27717258 PMCID: PMC5032490 DOI: 10.1002/wps.20341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 148] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Epidemiological evidence demonstrates that cannabis use is associated with an increased risk of psychotic outcomes, and confirms a dose-response relationship between the level of use and the risk of later psychosis. High-potency cannabis and synthetic cannabinoids carry the greatest risk. Experimental administration of tetrahydrocannabinol, the active ingredient of cannabis, induces transient psychosis in normal subjects, but this effect can be ameliorated by co-administration of cannabidiol. This latter is a constituent of traditional hashish, but is largely absent from modern high-potency forms of cannabis. Argument continues over the extent to which genetic predisposition is correlated to, or interacts with, cannabis use, and what proportion of psychosis could be prevented by minimizing heavy use. As yet, there is not convincing evidence that cannabis use increases risk of other psychiatric disorders, but there are no such doubts concerning its detrimental effect on cognitive function. All of the negative aspects are magnified if use starts in early adolescence. Irrespective of whether use of cannabis is decriminalized or legalized, the evidence that it is a component cause of psychosis is now sufficient for public health messages outlining the risk, especially of regular use of high-potency cannabis and synthetic cannabinoids.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Robin M. Murray
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's CollegeDe Crespigny ParkLondonSE5 8AFUK
| | - Harriet Quigley
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's CollegeDe Crespigny ParkLondonSE5 8AFUK
| | - Diego Quattrone
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's CollegeDe Crespigny ParkLondonSE5 8AFUK
| | - Amir Englund
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's CollegeDe Crespigny ParkLondonSE5 8AFUK
| | - Marta Di Forti
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's CollegeDe Crespigny ParkLondonSE5 8AFUK
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Hill SY, Sharma V, Jones BL. Lifetime use of cannabis from longitudinal assessments, cannabinoid receptor (CNR1) variation, and reduced volume of the right anterior cingulate. Psychiatry Res 2016; 255:24-34. [PMID: 27500453 PMCID: PMC5025865 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2016.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2015] [Revised: 04/07/2016] [Accepted: 05/25/2016] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Lifetime measures of cannabis use and co-occurring exposures were obtained from a longitudinal cohort followed an average of 13 years at the time they received a structural MRI scan. MRI scans were analyzed for 88 participants (mean age=25.9 years), 34 of whom were regular users of cannabis. Whole brain voxel based morphometry analyses (SPM8) were conducted using 50 voxel clusters at p=0.005. Controlling for age, familial risk, and gender, we found reduced volume in Regular Users compared to Non-Users, in the lingual gyrus, anterior cingulum (right and left), and the rolandic operculum (right). The right anterior cingulum reached family-wise error statistical significance at p=0.001, controlling for personal lifetime use of alcohol and cigarettes and any prenatal exposures. CNR1 haplotypes were formed from four CNR1 SNPs (rs806368, rs1049353, rs2023239, and rs6454674) and tested with level of cannabis exposure to assess their interactive effects on the lingual gyrus, cingulum (right and left) and rolandic operculum, regions showing cannabis exposure effects in the SPM8 analyses. These analyses used mixed model analyses (SPSS) to control for multiple potentially confounding variables. Level of cannabis exposure was associated with decreased volume of the right anterior cingulum and showed interaction effects with haplotype variation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shirley Y Hill
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
| | - Vinod Sharma
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Bobby L Jones
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| |
Collapse
|