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The Electroencephalogram in Cannabis Associated Psychosis

D. R. Campbell

Canadian Psychiatric Association Journal April 1, 1971 DOI: 10.1177/070674377101600211 (opens in new tab)

Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Observational comparative study Peer reviewed
Sample size 61
Population Patients with psychotic reactions after cannabis use, patients admitted with schizophrenia, patients seen for neurological consultation, and cannabis users without apparent psychiatric implications
Topics Cannabis
Key findings Cannabis users showed a greater increase in EEG abnormalities than patients with schizophrenia, neurological consultation patients, and cannabis users without psychiatric symptoms. The authors suggest cannabis may be a factor in creating the EEG abnormalities and in contributing to the psychotic reactions observed, especially when other causes of similar EEG abnormalities have been ruled out.

Abstract

Comparison was made among the electroencephalograms of eleven patients with psychotic reactions after the use of cannabis, twenty-nine patients admitted with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, ten for neurological consultations and eleven cannabis users with no apparent psychiatric implications. It was found that there was a greater increase in the EEG abnormalities of cannabis users than in the rest. It is therefore suggested that the drug may be a factor in creating the EEG abnormalities as well as contributing to the psychotic reactions observed, especially when the other factors which could create similar EEG abnormalities have been ruled out.