Structural network topology revealed by white matter tractography in cannabis users: a graph theoretical analysis.
Dae-Jin Kim, Patrick D. Skosnik, Hu Cheng, Ben J Pruce, Margaret S Brumbaugh, Jennifer M Vollmer, William P Hetrick, Brian F O'Donnell, Olaf Sporns, Aina Puce, Sharlene D. Newman
Brain Connectivity 2011 DOI: 10.1089/brain.2011.0053 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational case-control study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 25 |
| Population | 12 adult cannabis users and 13 healthy control subjects |
| Topics | Cannabis |
| Key findings | Cannabis users showed significantly decreased global network efficiency and significantly increased clustering coefficients compared with controls, along with altered local network organization in the cingulate region, while both groups retained small-world network attributes. The authors indicate these differences may reflect synaptic plasticity secondary to substance abuse or pre-existing vulnerability to substance use. |
Abstract
Endocannabinoid receptors modulate synaptic plasticity in the brain and may therefore impact cortical connectivity not only during development but also in response to substance abuse in later life. Such alterations may not be evident in volumetric measures utilized in brain imaging, but could affect the local and global organization of brain networks. To test this hypothesis, we used a novel computational approach to estimate network measures of structural brain connectivity derived from diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and white matter tractography. Twelve adult cannabis (CB) users and 13 healthy subjects were evaluated using a graph theoretic analysis of both global and local brain network properties. Structural brain networks in both CB subjects and controls exhibited robust small-world network attributes in both groups. However, CB subjects showed significantly decreased global network efficiency and significantly increased clustering coefficients (degree to which nodes tend to cluster around individual nodes). CB subjects also exhibited altered patterns of local network organization in the cingulate region. Among all subjects, schizotypal and impulsive personality characteristics correlated with global efficiency but not with the clustering coefficient. Our data indicate that structural brain networks in CB subjects are less efficiently integrated and exhibit altered regional connectivity. These differences in network properties may reflect physiological processes secondary to substance abuse-induced synaptic plasticity, or differences in brain organization that increase vulnerability to substance use.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on cannabis, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| High-potency cannabis and the risk of psychosis People with first episode of psychosis and healthy controls from the local population | 2009 | Case-control study | n = 454 |
| Ayahuasca-Assisted Therapy for Addiction: Results from a Preliminary Observational Study in Canada Rural aboriginal population | 2013 | Observational study | |
| Impaired cognitive performance in drug free users of recreational ecstasy (MDMA) Otherwise healthy young people | 2000 | Observational | |
| Continued cannabis use and risk of incidence and persistence of psychotic symptoms: 10 year follow-up cohort study Individuals from the general population in Germany aged 14-24 at baseline | 2011 | Observational cohort | n = 1,923 |
| Cannabis-induced psychosis and subsequent schizophrenia-spectrum disorders: follow-up study of 535 incident cases Patients treated for cannabis-induced psychotic symptoms in Denmark between 1994 and... | 2005 | Observational cohort | n = 535 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 7
- The neuropsychopharmacology of cannabis: A review of human imaging studies Pharmacology & Therapeutics October 20, 2018
- Theta and Alpha Oscillatory Activity During Working Memory Maintenance in Long-Term Cannabis Users: The Importance of the Polydrug Use Context Frontiers in Human Neuroscience October 18, 2021
- EEG-based network dynamics in cannabis and polydrug use: a directed transfer function approach. Psychopharmacology October 20, 2025
- The relationship between recreational cannabis use, psychotic-like experiences, and the salience network in adolescent and young adult twins. Psychological Medicine October 7, 2025
- Altered brain structural and functional connectivity in cannabis users Scientific Reports April 10, 2023
and 2 more in the library
Cites 9
- Psychiatric effects of cannabis The British Journal of Psychiatry February 1, 2001
- Neuroimaging in cannabis use: a systematic review of the literature Psychological Medicine July 23, 2009
- Why so impulsive? White matter alterations are associated with impulsivity in chronic marijuana smokers. Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology June 2011
- Functional imaging studies in cannabis users. The Neuroscientist October 2007
- Psychophysiological evidence of altered neural synchronization in cannabis use: relationship to schizotypy. American Journal of Psychiatry October 2006
and 4 more in the library