Cannabis use and first onset Schizophrenia-like psychosis after traumatic brain injury in a patient with intracranial bullet
M. Ergelen, M. Yalçın, Fikret Ferzan Gıynaş, Samet Kurnaz, N. G. Usta Sağlam
Journal of Substance Use February 7, 2023 DOI: 10.1080/14659891.2023.2173091 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case study Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1 |
| Population | A middle-aged female patient with traumatic brain injury from a gunshot wound who developed cannabis use disorder and psychosis |
| Topics | Cannabis |
| Key findings | A middle-aged woman developed psychotic symptoms within two months of starting cannabis to relieve anxiety six months after a traumatic brain injury from a gunshot wound. The authors report her admission, detoxification, and recovery in an inpatient addiction unit, and argue that post-injury psychosis may develop earlier than expected when cannabis use disorder is present, so patients need follow-up for neuropsychiatric symptoms. |
Abstract
ABSTRACT Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an important cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Cannabis use disorder and psychosis are rare but serious comorbidities seen after TBI. Recent studies indicate that the use of cannabis for self-medication may increase after TBI. Schizophrenia-like psychosis (SLP) is also seen, generally showing a late and gradual onset after TBI. Especially in case of cannabis use disorder, post-TBI psychosis may develop earlier than expected and cause difficulties in terms of diagnosis. In this report, a middle-aged female patient started using cannabis to relieve her anxiety symptoms, six months after a TBI secondary to gunshot wounding, and developed psychotic symptoms within two months. We document her admission, detoxification and recovery during an inpatient stay in the Alcohol and Drug Addiction Research, Treatment and Education Center (AMATEM) inpatient unit. We aim to emphasize the importance of follow-up of patients after TBI in terms of neuropsychiatric symptoms and initiation of symptomatic treatment.
Comparable studies
Other case reports and case series on cannabis, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychotic Reactions Following Cannabis Use in East Indians Patients at an Indian drug addiction clinic who developed acute cannabis-related psychosis | 1974 | Descriptive report (case series of clinical observations) | n = 200 |
| Psychiatric effects of cannabis use Swedish cases of cannabis psychosis | 1985 | Case series | n = 70 |
| Forty-Six Cases of Psychosis in Cannabis Abusers Gunila Bernhardson Habitual cannabis users treated for psychosis at Swedish psychiatric clinics and mental... | 1972 | Case series (retrospective survey of psychiatric records) | n = 46 |
| Hallucinogen persisting perception disorder after psilocybin consumption: a case study 18-year-old man with HPPD after mixed psilocybin and cannabis intoxication | 2005 | Case study | n = 1 |
| Cannabis‐induced Koro in Americans American men aged 22-26 with years of cannabis experience who reported negative... | 2001 | Case series | n = 3 |
Citations in the library
Cites 3
- Cannabis use and age at onset of symptoms in subjects at clinical high risk for psychosis Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica August 29, 2011
- Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of synthetic cannabinoid users in a large psychiatric emergency department in Turkey. Journal of Addictive Diseases 2018
- The psychotomimetic effects of intravenous delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol in healthy individuals: implications for psychosis. Neuropsychopharmacology August 2004