Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) following cannabis consumption: A rare association.
Abdallah Bennasser, Mehdi Oudrhiri Safiani, Ahmed El Mostarchid, Meriem Zhim, Mohamed Jiddane, Firdaous Touarsa
Radiology case reports January 2025 DOI: 10.1016/j.radcr.2024.09.084 (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 27-year-old man with a feverless altered state of consciousness |
| Topics | Altered states of consciousness Cannabis |
| Keywords | Magnetic resonance imaging Psychoactive substance use |
| Key findings | The authors report a case of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) in a 27-year-old man attributed to cannabis consumption, a rare association. They note that PRES can cause severe neurological manifestations and that recovery is not always guaranteed, with possible neurological sequelae or death. |
Abstract
Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is a clinical-radiological syndrome that combines nonspecific neurological manifestations, sometimes severe (coma, status epilepticus), with typical brain imaging showing mostly bilateral, symmetrical abnormalities, predominantly affecting the white matter. Termed "reversible," the norm is a return to the previous neurological state. However, this recovery is not always guaranteed, with potential neurological sequelae or even progression to death. PRES has multiple etiologies. The primary etiology associated with PRES is substance consumption. However, cases of PRES following cannabis consumption are rare. Here, we present the case of a 27-year-old man admitted for the management of a feverless altered state of consciousness, whose investigations eventually revealed PRES due to cannabis consumption.
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 |