Cannabis psychosis: examining the evidence for a distinctive psychopathology in a systematic and narrative review.
Alexander Baldacchino, Zoe Hughes, Michael Kehoe, Hannah A. Blair, Ying Teh, Stacey Windeatt, Ilana B Crome
American Journal on Addictions November 1, 2012 DOI: 10.1111/j.1521-0391.2012.00295.x (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Inpatients with psychosis |
| Topics | Cannabis |
| Key findings | Cannabis psychosis may not be qualitatively different from other forms of psychosis based on psychopathological comparison. |
Abstract
The term "cannabis psychosis" has become ubiquitous in the psychiatric literature. Few authors have described the precise psychopathology of this potentially distinct subtype of psychosis. Specifically, little attention has been paid to exploring whether cannabis psychosis is characterized by a psychopathology which is different from that of other types of psychosis. The purpose of this paper was to systematically review the literature for evidence of a specific constellation of symptoms which are consistently characteristic of cannabis psychosis within an inpatient psychiatric setting and to determine whether these combine to create a psychopathology which is distinct from that of other types of psychosis. Systematic review using Meta-analysis Of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (MOOSE) guidelines. 13 studies of the 439 identified met the inclusion criteria. Only eight studies had sufficient internal and external validity to allow comparison in a narrative format of the psychopathology present, compared with controls. Of these eight selected studies, seven reported at least one significant difference (p < .05) in the psychopathology of the cannabis group to the control group used as a comparator. This study should be interpreted with great caution and conclusions should not be generalized. These findings do not suggest that "cannabis psychosis" does not exist, only that from a psychopathological perspective it may not be qualitatively any different from other forms of psychosis. Future research in this area needs to focus on clarifying the definition or description of "cannabis psychosis" and the use of standardized robust experimental and/or observational designs to eliminate heterogeneity that may lead to inconclusive results.
Comparable studies
Other systematic reviews and meta-analyses on cannabis, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Effects of cannabis use on outcomes of psychotic disorders: systematic review People with psychotic disorders, as examined in 13 longitudinal studies | 2008 | Systematic review | |
| The Impact of Cannabis Use on Cognitive Functioning in Patients With Schizophrenia: A Meta-analysis of Existing Findings and New Data in a First-Episode Sample Patients with established schizophrenia (meta-analysis: 572) and patients with... | 2010 | Meta-analysis and cross-sectional observational study | n = 700 |
| Medicinal cannabis for psychiatric disorders: a clinically-focused systematic review | 2020 | Systematic review | |
| Neuroimaging in cannabis use: a systematic review of the literature Cannabis users and controls in neuroimaging studies | 2009 | Systematic review | |
| Human Laboratory Studies on Cannabinoids and Psychosis. Healthy human subjects and individuals with schizophrenia | 2016 | Systematic review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 7
- Psicosis inducida por cannabis: características clínicas y su diferenciación con la esquizofrenia con y sin consumo de cannabis asociado Adicciones July 14, 2020
- Cannabis acute use impacts symptoms and functionality in a cohort of antipsychotic naïve First Episode of Psychosis individuals Schizophrenia Research: Cognition December 11, 2018
- Diferencias y estabilidad diagnóstica entre trastornos psicóticos inducidos por sustancias y trastornos psicóticos no inducidos Adicciones March 15, 2023
- Response to Miller (2017): Communicating the role of cannabis in the risk of developing psychosis Addiction July 31, 2017
- Recommendations for Reducing the Risk of Cannabis Use-Related Adverse Psychosis Outcomes: A Public Mental Health-Oriented Evidence Review Journal of dual diagnosis July 3, 2023
and 2 more in the library
Cites 14
- Continued cannabis use and risk of incidence and persistence of psychotic symptoms: 10 year follow-up cohort study BMJ March 1, 2011
- Drug Induced Psychosis The British Journal of Psychiatry February 1, 1996
- Is “cannabis psychosis” a distinct category? European Psychiatry 1992
- Cannabis Psychosis in Young Psychiatric Inpatients British Journal of Addiction March 1, 1986
- The temporal dynamics of relationships between cannabis, psychosis and depression among young adults with psychotic disorders: findings from a 10-month prospective study. Psychological Medicine July 1, 2007
and 9 more in the library