Convergence of Cannabis and Psychosis on the Dopamine System
Jessica Ahrens, Sabrina D. Ford, Betsy Schaefer, David Reese, Ali R. Khan, Philip G. Tibbo, Rachel A Rabin, Clifford M. Cassidy, Lena Palaniyappan
JAMA Psychiatry April 9, 2025 DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2025.0432 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Cannabis |
| Key findings | Cannabis use is associated with alterations in the midbrain dopamine pathway involved in psychosis. |
Abstract
This cohort study investigates the association between cannabis and the midbrain dopamine pathway involved in psychosis.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on cannabis, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| High-potency cannabis and the risk of psychosis People with first episode of psychosis and healthy controls from the local population | 2009 | Case-control study | n = 454 |
| Ayahuasca-Assisted Therapy for Addiction: Results from a Preliminary Observational Study in Canada Rural aboriginal population | 2013 | Observational study | |
| Impaired cognitive performance in drug free users of recreational ecstasy (MDMA) Otherwise healthy young people | 2000 | Observational | |
| Continued cannabis use and risk of incidence and persistence of psychotic symptoms: 10 year follow-up cohort study Individuals from the general population in Germany aged 14-24 at baseline | 2011 | Observational cohort | n = 1,923 |
| Cannabis-induced psychosis and subsequent schizophrenia-spectrum disorders: follow-up study of 535 incident cases Patients treated for cannabis-induced psychotic symptoms in Denmark between 1994 and... | 2005 | Observational cohort | n = 535 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 7
- Which Came First? Utility of Preclinical Models in Cracking the Chicken-or-Egg Relationship between Cannabis Use and Schizophrenia Current Addiction Reports February 27, 2026
- Cannabis, psychosis, and violence: case reports and comprehensive evidence review Frontiers in Psychiatry July 21, 2026
- Relationships between cannabis use and mental disorders: assessing the coherence of evidence from studies with different methodologies. The Lancet Psychiatry July 1, 2026
- The role of subcortical brain tissue iron as an indicator of dopamine neurophysiology in adolescent cannabis use. Neuropsychopharmacology June 2, 2026
- Cannabis Use and Clinical Outcomes in First Episode Psychosis: Results From a 2‐Year Follow‐Up Study Early Intervention in Psychiatry May 1, 2026
and 2 more in the library
Cites 4
- Association Between Continued Cannabis Use and Risk of Relapse in First-Episode Psychosis JAMA Psychiatry September 28, 2016
- Cannabis affects people differently: inter-subject variation in the psychotogenic effects of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol: a functional magnetic resonance imaging study with healthy volunteers Psychological Medicine October 1, 2012
- Molecular brain differences and cannabis involvement: A systematic review of positron emission tomography studies. Journal of Psychiatric Research June 2023
- Significant decreases in frontal and temporal [11C]-raclopride binding after THC challenge. Neuroimage May 6, 2010