Association of cannabis with glutamatergic levels in patients with early psychosis: Evidence for altered volume striatal glutamate relationships in patients with a history of cannabis use in early psychosis
Musa Sami, Amanda Worker, Marco Colizzi, Luciano Annibale, Debasis Das, Marlene Kelbrick, Savitha Eranti, Tracy Collier, Chidimma Onyejiaka, Aisling O’neill, David J Lythgoe, Philip Mcguire, Steve C. R. Williams, Matthew J. Kempton, Sagnik Bhattacharyya, Praveen Macherla, Athanasios Prountzos, Rachel Kitts, Loredana Vasicuro, Zohra Taousi, Fatma Tekfi
Translational Psychiatry April 21, 2020 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-020-0790-1 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional observational imaging study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 92 |
| Population | Early psychosis patients with a history of cannabis use (n=29), early psychosis patients with minimal cannabis use (n=25), controls with a history of cannabis use (n=16), and controls with minimal cannabis use (n=22) |
| Topics | Cannabis |
| Key findings | No significant group differences in caudate glutamine+glutamate (Glx) were found in any region. In early psychosis patients with a history of cannabis use, grey matter volume explained 31.9% of caudate Glx variance and amygdala volume explained 36.9%, with a significant interaction versus minimal-use patients (p=0.042); the authors suggest this may indicate cannabis-related change in CB1-rich grey matter regions influencing striatal glutamate, or a predisposition to heavy use. |
Abstract
AbstractThe associative striatum, an established substrate in psychosis, receives widespread glutamatergic projections. We sought to see if glutamatergic indices are altered between early psychosis patients with and without a history of cannabis use and characterise the relationship to grey matter. 92 participants were scanned: Early Psychosis with a history of cannabis use (EPC = 29); Early Psychosis with minimal cannabis use (EPMC = 25); Controls with a history of cannabis use (HCC = 16) and Controls with minimal use (HCMC = 22). Whole brain T1 weighted MR images and localised proton MR spectra were acquired from head of caudate, anterior cingulate and hippocampus. We examined relationships in regions with known high cannabinoid 1 receptor (CB1R) expression (grey matter, cortex, hippocampus, amygdala) and low expression (white matter, ventricles, brainstem) to caudate Glutamine+Glutamate (Glx). Patients were well matched in symptoms, function and medication. There was no significant group difference in Glx in any region. In EPC grey matter volume explained 31.9% of the variance of caudate Glx (p = 0.003) and amygdala volume explained 36.9% (p = 0.001) of caudate Glx. There was no significant relationship in EPMC. The EPC vs EPMC interaction was significant (p = 0.042). There was no such relationship in control regions. These results are the first to demonstrate association of grey matter volume and striatal glutamate in the EPC group. This may suggest a history of cannabis use leads to a conformational change in distal CB1 rich grey matter regions to influence striatal glutamatergic levels or that such connectivity predisposes to heavy cannabis use.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on cannabis, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patterns of simultaneous polysubstance use in drug using university students Drug-using university students | 2006 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 149 |
| Persisting Reductions in Cannabis, Opioid, and Stimulant Misuse After Naturalistic Psychedelic Use: An Online Survey Online survey respondents | 2020 | Cross-sectional survey | |
| User perceptions of the benefits and harms of hallucinogenic drug use: A web-based questionnaire study Users of hallucinogenic drugs who completed a web-based questionnaire | 2010 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 600 |
| Illicit Use of LSD or Psilocybin, but not MDMA or Nonpsychedelic Drugs, is Associated with Mystical Experiences in a Dose-Dependent Manner Adults recruited from the MAPS website and newsletter, most reporting use of various... | 2012 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 337 |
| Ecstasy and Drug Consumption Patterns: A Canadian Rave Population Study Rave attendees in Montreal, Quebec | 2002 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 210 |