Individuals with cannabis use are associated with widespread morphological alterations in the subregions of the amygdala, hippocampus, and pallidum.
Zhaoyang Cong, Yu Fu, Nan Chen, Lingyu Zhang, Chaofan Yao, Yalin Wang, Zhijun Yao, Bin Hu
Drug and Alcohol Dependence October 1, 2022 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2022.109595 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case-control study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 42 |
| Population | 20 individuals with cannabis use and 22 age- and sex-matched healthy controls |
| Topics | Cannabis |
| Keywords | Amygdala Cannabis use Hippocampus Morphometry Pallidum Structural MRI Subcortical structures |
| Key findings | Surface-based subcortical morphometry detected more significant global shape deformations than volume measures in the left amygdala, right hippocampus, and right pallidum of cannabis users (overall p < 0.05, corrected), with localized subregional atrophy or expansion (vertex-level p < 0.05, uncorrected). Correlation analyses showed both positive and negative associations between subregional shape measures and cannabis use characteristics. The authors argue these findings illuminate pathophysiological mechanisms at the subregion level. |
Abstract
Cannabis is the most frequently used illicit drug worldwide. Although multiple structural MRI studies of individuals with cannabis use (CB) have been undertaken, the reports of the volume alterations in the amygdala, hippocampus, and pallidum are not consistent. This study aims to detect subregion-level morphological alterations, analyze the correlation areas with cannabis usage characteristics, and gain new insights into the neuro mechanisms of CB. By leveraging the novel surface-based subcortical morphometry method, 20 CB and 22 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HC) were included to explore their volumetric and morphological differences in the three subcortical structures. Afterward, the correlation analysis between surface morphological eigenvalues and cannabis usage characteristics was performed. Compared with volumetric measures, the surface-based subcortical morphometry method detected more significant global morphological deformations in the left amygdala, right hippocampus, and right pallidum (overall-p < 0.05, corrected). More obvious morphological alterations (atrophy or expansion) were observed in specific subregions (vertex-based p-value<0.05, uncorrected) of the three subcortical structures. Both positive and negative subregional correlation areas were reported by the correlation analysis. The current study illuminated new pathophysiologic mechanisms in the amygdala, hippocampus, and pallidum at the subregion level, which may inform the subsequent smaller-scale CB research.
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 2
- Abnormal developmental of hippocampal subfields and amygdalar subnuclei volumes in young adults with heavy cannabis use: A three-year longitudinal study. Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry January 10, 2025
- Chronic cannabis use associated with subcortical topological reorganization of structural connectivity in adults. Drug and Alcohol Dependence September 1, 2024
Cites 10
- Are adolescents more vulnerable to the harmful effects of cannabis than adults? A placebo-controlled study in human males Translational Psychiatry November 29, 2016
- Grey Matter Volume Differences Associated with Extremely Low Levels of Cannabis Use in Adolescence Journal of Neuroscience January 14, 2019
- Residual Effects of THC via Novel Measures of Brain Perfusion and Metabolism in a Large Group of Chronic Cannabis Users. Neuropsychopharmacology March 2018
- Hippocampal harms, protection and recovery following regular cannabis use. Translational Psychiatry January 12, 2016
- Shared Predisposition in the Association Between Cannabis Use and Subcortical Brain Structure. JAMA Psychiatry October 2015
and 5 more in the library