Cannabis‐induced Koro in Americans
Addiction November 1, 2001 DOI: 10.1046/j.1360-0443.2001.9611166312.x (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case series Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 3 |
| Population | American men aged 22-26 with years of cannabis experience who reported negative reactions to cannabis |
| Intervention | marijuana |
| Topics | Anxiety Cannabis CBD |
| Keywords | Panic Effects of cannabis Clinical psychology Obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders |
| Citations | 57 |
| Key findings | Cannabis-induced Koro occurs in Americans, not only in Eastern cultures, and may be influenced by prior knowledge of the condition, novel drug use settings, and body dysmorphia. |
Abstract
Aims: Koro, an acute panic reaction related to the perception of penile retraction, was once considered limited to specific cultures. The disorder has appeared as part of a panic response to cannabis, but only in citizens of India. This study looked for cannabis-induced Koro in Americans.
Design: Given the relative rarity of cannabis-induced Koro, this work focused on individual case studies.
Participants: Over 70 men responded by phone to report negative reactions to cannabis. Three of them (Caucasians aged 22-26 with years of experience with cannabis) spontaneously mentioned experiencing symptoms of Koro after smoking marijuana.
Findings: All three cases occurred after participants had heard about cannabis-induced Koro and used the drug in a novel setting or atypical way. Two of the men had body dysmorphia, which may have contributed to symptoms. All three decreased their cannabis consumption after the Koro experience.
Conclusions: Koro, particularly cannabis-induced Koro, is not limited to Eastern cultures. Several factors may interact to create symptoms. These include previous knowledge of cannabis-induced Koro, the use of marijuana in a way that might heighten a panic reaction, and poor body image. In addition, these cases confirm previous work that shows that negative reactions to drugs can attenuate their use.
Comparable studies
Other case reports and case series on cannabis, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychotic Reactions Following Cannabis Use in East Indians Patients at an Indian drug addiction clinic who developed acute cannabis-related psychosis | 1974 | Descriptive report (case series of clinical observations) | n = 200 |
| Psychiatric effects of cannabis use Swedish cases of cannabis psychosis | 1985 | Case series | n = 70 |
| Forty-Six Cases of Psychosis in Cannabis Abusers Gunila Bernhardson Habitual cannabis users treated for psychosis at Swedish psychiatric clinics and mental... | 1972 | Case series (retrospective survey of psychiatric records) | n = 46 |
| Hallucinogen persisting perception disorder after psilocybin consumption: a case study 18-year-old man with HPPD after mixed psilocybin and cannabis intoxication | 2005 | Case study | n = 1 |
| “Hallucinations” Following Acute Cannabis Dosing: A Case Report and Comparison to Other Hallucinogenic Drugs Healthy 30-year-old male | 2018 | Case study | n = 1 |