Understanding marijuana's effects on functional connectivity of the default mode network in patients with schizophrenia and co-occurring cannabis use disorder: A pilot investigation.
Susan Whitfield-Gabrieli, Adina S. Fischer, Angela Henricks, Jibran Y. Khokhar, Robert M Roth, Mary F. Brunette, Alan I Green
Schizophrenia Research April 1, 2018 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2017.07.029 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Pilot study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 24 |
| Population | Patients with schizophrenia and cannabis use disorder (n=12) and healthy controls (n=12) |
| Interventions | 3.6% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) cannabis cigarette 15mg delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) pill |
| Dose | 3.6% THC cannabis cigarette or 15mg delta-9-THC pill |
| Topics | Default mode network Cannabis |
| Keywords | Cannabis use disorder Schizophrenia FMRI |
| Key points | Cannabinoid administration reduced DMN hyperconnectivity and increased DMN-ECN anticorrelation in patients with schizophrenia and cannabis use disorder. |
Abstract
Nearly half of patients with schizophrenia (SCZ) have co-occurring cannabis use disorder (CUD), which has been associated with decreased treatment efficacy, increased risk of psychotic relapse, and poor global functioning. While reports on the effects of cannabis on cognitive performance in patients with SCZ have been mixed, study of brain networks related to executive function may clarify the relationship between cannabis use and cognition in these dual-diagnosis patients. In the present pilot study, patients with SCZ and CUD (n=12) and healthy controls (n=12) completed two functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) resting scans. Prior to the second scan, patients smoked a 3.6% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) cannabis cigarette or ingested a 15mg delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) pill. We used resting-state functional connectivity to examine the default mode network (DMN) during both scans, as connectivity/activity within this network is negatively correlated with connectivity of the network involved in executive control and shows reduced activity during task performance in normal individuals. At baseline, relative to controls, patients exhibited DMN hyperconnectivity that correlated with positive symptom severity, and reduced anticorrelation between the DMN and the executive control network (ECN). Cannabinoid administration reduced DMN hyperconnectivity and increased DMN-ECN anticorrelation. Moreover, the magnitude of anticorrelation in the controls, and in the patients after cannabinoid administration, positively correlated with WM performance. The finding that DMN brain connectivity is plastic may have implications for future pharmacotherapeutic development, as treatment efficacy could be assessed through the ability of therapies to normalize underlying circuit-level dysfunction.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on default mode network, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 12
- Real-time fMRI neurofeedback reduces auditory hallucinations and modulates resting state connectivity of involved brain regions: Part 2: Default mode network -preliminary evidence Psychiatry Research January 14, 2020
- The psychedelic effects of cannabis: A review of the literature Journal of Psychopharmacology November 10, 2023
- Cannabis, esquizofrenia y cognición, aportes de la conectividad cerebral Adicciones February 6, 2020
- Randomized Laboratory Study of Single-Dose Cannabis, Dronabinol, and Placebo in Patients With Schizophrenia and Cannabis Use Disorder Schizophrenia Bulletin June 20, 2024
- Self-disturbance in first-episode psychosis: Theoretical framework and potential cannabis interactions - a systematic review. Frontiers in Psychiatry 2025
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Cites 9
- A default mode of brain function Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences January 16, 2001
- Default Mode Network Activity and Connectivity in Psychopathology Annual Review of Clinical Psychology March 29, 2012
- Effects of cannabis use on outcomes of psychotic disorders: systematic review The British Journal of Psychiatry October 31, 2008
- 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 Schizophrenia Bulletin July 25, 2010
- Psychosis reactivity to cannabis use in daily life: an experience sampling study The British Journal of Psychiatry May 31, 2010
and 4 more in the library