Latent inhibition, aberrant salience, and schizotypy traits in cannabis users
Christopher Dawes, Declan Quinn, Andrea Bickerdike, C. O'Neill, K. Granger, Sarah Carneiro Pereira, Sue Lynn Mah, M. Haselgrove, John L. Waddington, Colm M P O'Tuathaigh, P. Moran
Schizophrenia Research: Cognition January 5, 2022 DOI: 10.1016/j.scog.2021.100235 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cross-sectional study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 346 |
| Population | University students (non-clinical population) |
| Measures | latent inhibition (LI) task, Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ), Aberrant Salience Inventory (ASI), modified Cannabis Experience Questionnaire (CEQmv) |
| Topics | Cannabis |
| Key findings | Cannabis use was not associated with altered latent inhibition, but current use was linked to higher schizotypy and aberrant salience scores. Higher scores on two Aberrant Salience Inventory subscales predicted lower latent inhibition, suggesting the task may serve as an experimental measure of aberrant salience. |
Abstract
Aberrant salience processing may underlie the link between cannabis and psychosis, as posited in individuals with schizophrenia or high schizotypy. We investigated the relative effects of cannabis use, schizotypy status, and self-reported aberrant salience experiences on salience processing, measured using a latent inhibition (LI) task (Granger et al., 2016), in a non-clinical population. A university sample of 346 participants completed the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ), Aberrant Salience Inventory (ASI) the modified Cannabis Experience Questionnaire (CEQmv) and the LI task. Regression models and parallel (Bayesian and frequentist) t-tests or ANOVA (or non-parametric equivalents) examined differences in LI based on lifetime or current cannabis use (frequent use during previous year), as well as frequency of use. Mann-Whitney U tests assessed differences in SPQ and ASI scores based on current cannabis use. Neither lifetime nor current cannabis use was associated with significant change in LI scores. Current cannabis use was associated with both higher ‘Disorganised’ and ‘Cognitive-perceptual’ SPQ dimension scores and higher total and sub-scale ASI scores. No association was observed between LI score and SPQ total and dimension scores. Higher scores on ‘Senses sharpening’ and the ‘Heightened cognition’ ASI subscales predicted decreased LI scores. These data support previous findings of no association between cannabis use and abnormality in other associative learning tasks in young non-clinical populations, and elaborate the previously demonstrated association between self-reported cannabis use, schizotypy and aberrant salience. The association between dimensions of ASI and LI performance suggests this task may have potential as an experimental measure of aberrant salience.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on cannabis, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cannabis use before age 15 and subsequent executive functioning 104 chronic cannabis users (49 early-onset before age 15, 55 late-onset after age 15)... | 2011 | Observational cross-sectional study | n = 148 |
| 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 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
Cites 10
- Psychosis as a state of aberrant salience: a framework linking biology, phenomenology, and pharmacology in schizophrenia. American Journal of Psychiatry 2003
- High-potency cannabis and the risk of psychosis The British Journal of Psychiatry November 30, 2009
- Does cannabis use predict psychometric schizotypy via aberrant salience? Schizophrenia Research April 6, 2020
- Cannabis Use, Schizotypy and Kamin Blocking Performance Frontiers in Psychiatry November 23, 2021
- Subjective experience of aberrant salience in young people at Ultra-High Risk (UHR) for psychosis: a cross-sectional study Nordic Journal of Psychiatry June 29, 2021
and 5 more in the library