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Bortolato M, Braccagni G, Pederson CA, Floris G, Fite PJ. "Weeding out" violence? Translational perspectives on the neuropsychobiological links between cannabis and aggression. AGGRESSION AND VIOLENT BEHAVIOR 2024; 78:101948. [PMID: 38828012 PMCID: PMC11141739 DOI: 10.1016/j.avb.2024.101948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
Recent shifts in societal attitudes towards cannabis have led to a dramatic increase in consumption rates in many Western countries, particularly among young people. This trend has shed light on a significant link between cannabis use disorder (CUD) and pathological reactive aggression, a condition involving disproportionate aggressive and violent reactions to minor provocations. The discourse on the connection between cannabis use and aggression is frequently enmeshed in political and legal discussions, leading to a polarized understanding of the causative relationship between cannabis use and aggression. However, integrative analyses from both human and animal research indicate a complex, bidirectional interplay between cannabis misuse and pathological aggression. On the one hand, emerging research reveals a shared genetic and environmental predisposition for both cannabis use and aggression, suggesting a common underlying biological mechanism. On the other hand, there is evidence that cannabis consumption can lead to violent behaviors while also being used as a self-medication strategy to mitigate the negative emotions associated with pathological reactive aggression. This suggests that the coexistence of pathological aggression and CUD may result from overlapping vulnerabilities, potentially creating a self-perpetuating cycle where each condition exacerbates the other, escalating into externalizing and violent behaviors. This article aims to synthesize existing research on the intricate connections between these issues and propose a theoretical model to explain the neurobiological mechanisms underpinning this complex relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Bortolato
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
- Consortium for Translational Research on Aggression and Drug Abuse (ConTRADA), University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | - Giulia Braccagni
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Casey A. Pederson
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Gabriele Floris
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
- Center for Substance Abuse Research, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Neural Sciences, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Paula J. Fite
- Consortium for Translational Research on Aggression and Drug Abuse (ConTRADA), University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
- Clinical Child Psychology Program, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
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Lawler S, Barrett EL, Teesson M, Kelly E, Champion KE, Debenham J, Smout A, Chapman C, Slade T, Conrod PJ, Newton NC, Stapinski L. The long-term effectiveness of a personality-targeted substance use prevention program on aggression from adolescence to early adulthood. Psychol Med 2024:1-9. [PMID: 38680095 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291724000989] [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] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Addressing aggressive behavior in adolescence is a key step toward preventing violence and associated social and economic costs in adulthood. This study examined the secondary effects of the personality-targeted substance use preventive program Preventure on aggressive behavior from ages 13 to 20. METHODS In total, 339 young people from nine independent schools (M age = 13.03 years, s.d. = 0.47, range = 12-15) who rated highly on one of the four personality traits associated with increased substance use and other emotional/behavioral symptoms (i.e. impulsivity, anxiety sensitivity, sensation seeking, and negative thinking) were included in the analyses (n = 145 in Preventure, n = 194 in control). Self-report assessments were administered at baseline and follow-up (6 months, 1, 2, 3, 5.5, and 7 years). Overall aggression and subtypes of aggressive behaviors (proactive, reactive) were examined using multilevel mixed-effects analysis accounting for school-level clustering. RESULTS Across the 7-year follow-up period, the average yearly reduction in the frequency of aggressive behaviors (b = -0.42; 95% confidence interval [CI] -0.64 to -0.20; p < 0.001), reactive aggression (b = -0.22; 95% CI 0.35 to -0.10; p = 0.001), and proactive aggression (b = -0.14; 95% CI -0.23 to -0.05; p = 0.002) was greater for the Preventure group compared to the control group. CONCLUSIONS The study suggests a brief personality-targeted intervention may have long-term impacts on aggression among young people; however, this interpretation is limited by imbalance of sex ratios between study groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siobhan Lawler
- The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health & Substance Use, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Emma L Barrett
- The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health & Substance Use, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Maree Teesson
- The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health & Substance Use, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Erin Kelly
- The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health & Substance Use, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Katrina E Champion
- The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health & Substance Use, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Jennifer Debenham
- The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health & Substance Use, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Anna Smout
- The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health & Substance Use, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Cath Chapman
- The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health & Substance Use, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Tim Slade
- The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health & Substance Use, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Patricia J Conrod
- University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
- Sainte Justine Hospital Research Centre, Montreal, Canada
| | - Nicola C Newton
- The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health & Substance Use, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Lexine Stapinski
- The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health & Substance Use, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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