Are the effects of cannabis dependence on glucose metabolism similar to schizophrenia? An FDG PET understanding.
Shubhangi R Parkar, Seethalakshmi Ramanathan, Narendra Nair, Shefali A Batra, Shilpa A Adarkar, Purushottam Kund, Nawab Singh Baghel, S H Moghe
Indian Journal of Psychiatry January 2011 DOI: 10.4103/0019-5545.75552 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case-control cross-sectional study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Male volunteers with cannabis dependence, schizophrenia, and normal controls |
| Measures | FDG PET, MANOVA, Chow tests |
| Topics | Addiction Cannabis |
| Keywords | Cannabis dependence Fdg PET Interregional relationships Schizophrenia |
| Key findings | Glucose uptake differed significantly in medial and lateral temporal regions between cannabis dependence and schizophrenia groups. Interregional metabolic relationships in mesocortical and cortical-subcortical-cerebellum circuits differed significantly between cannabis dependence and controls, but not between cannabis dependence and schizophrenia. The authors suggest cannabis dependence alters interregional relationships similarly to schizophrenia, indicating cannabis could potentially contribute to psychosis by altering neural circuits. |
Abstract
Cannabis has been associated with transient psychotic states; however, the causal relationship between cannabis and schizophrenia continues to remain a matter of debate. Epidemiological and some biological studies hint at cannabis being an independent risk factor for schizophrenia; this has not been definitively proved. We aimed to understand the patterns of glucose uptake in important brain regions among individuals with cannabis dependence and schizophrenia. Furthermore, we compared the interregional metabolic rates in pertinent neural circuits among individuals with cannabis dependence, schizophrenia and normal controls. This is a case-control cross-sectional study that was carried out by a general psychiatry department in collaboration with a nuclear diagnosis unit. Male volunteers with cannabis dependence, schizophrenia and normal controls underwent FDG PET scanning. Glucose uptakes in pre-selected regions of interest were compared using MANOVA. Finally, Chow tests were used to compare interregional metabolic relationships in the mesocortical and cortical-subcortical-cerebellum circuits. Significant differences (P<0.05) were noted among individuals with cannabis dependence and schizophrenia in the medial and lateral temporal regions. When the neural circuits were compared, significant interregional differences (P<0.05) were noted between individuals with cannabis dependence and normal controls. However, among individuals with cannabis dependence and schizophrenia, no significant differences (P>0.05) were noted in these patterns. Our findings suggest that cannabis dependence can alter interregional relationships in a manner similar to schizophrenia. This indicates that cannabis could potentially play a role in the development of psychosis by altering neural circuits.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on cannabis for addiction, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cites 7
- Causal association between cannabis and psychosis: examination of the evidence The British Journal of Psychiatry January 30, 2004
- Functional imaging studies in cannabis users. The Neuroscientist October 2007
- Neural substrates of faulty decision-making in abstinent marijuana users. Neuroimage June 2005
- Altered brain tissue composition in heavy marijuana users. Drug and Alcohol Dependence January 7, 2005
- Effects of smoking marijuana on brain perfusion and cognition. Neuropsychopharmacology June 2002
and 2 more in the library