Reefer Madness — How Bad Is It?

Although evidence for cannabis-associated specific structural change in a meta-analysis is weak, evidence for a link between psychotic symptoms and cannabis use is strong.

Cannabis use has been associated with altered structure and function of the brain, but which comes first? Two recent articles address the question of causality.

Pagliaccio and colleagues obtained genetic data and neuroimaging from 50 monozygotic twin pairs, 45 dizygotic twin pairs, and 146 sibling pairs. The total group included 89 same-sex pairs discordant for self-reported cannabis use, 81 concordant for cannabis use, and 71 concordant for no cannabis use. Cannabis use was associated with smaller left amygdala and right ventral striatum (VS) volumes, although these were within the normal range. Amygdala volumes were similar within pairs, regardless of concordance of cannabis use, which suggests a genetic predisposition. The cause of smalle…

Reviewing Author

Steven Dubovsky, MD

Disclosures

Grant/Research SupportTower Foundation; Patrick Lee Foundation; Boehringer Ingelheim; Intra-Cellular Therapies; Janssen; Biogen; Allergan

Editorial BoardsMind and Brain; Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic; Current Psychiatry; Journal of Psychosomatic Research

Steven Dubovsky, MD

Disclosures

Grant/Research SupportTower Foundation; Patrick Lee Foundation; Boehringer Ingelheim; Intra-Cellular Therapies; Janssen; Biogen; Allergan

Editorial BoardsMind and Brain; Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic; Current Psychiatry; Journal of Psychosomatic Research

Reefer Madness — How Bad Is It?

Topics

Reviewing Author