Antipsychotic Use and Psychiatric Hospitalization in First-Episode Non-affective Psychosis and Cannabis Use Disorder: A Swedish Nationwide Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND AND HYPOTHESIS: There is a paucity of research on treatment outcomes of patients with psychosis and cannabis use disorder (CUD). We aimed to compare the effectiveness of antipsychotics in reducing the risk of hospitalization in patients with first-episode psychosis (FEP) and co-occurring CUD. STUDY DESIGN: We utilized a nationwide Swedish cohort of patients with longitudinal register data from the year 2006 to 2021. Participants were patients with FEP and co-occurring CUD (n = 1820, 84.73% men, mean age 26.80 years, SD 8.25 years). The main outcome was hospitalization due to psychotic relapse. Hospitalization due to any psychiatric disorder or substance use disorder (SUD) were examined as secondary outcomes. Within-individual Cox regression models were used to study these associations. STUDY RESULTS: Use of any antipsychotic was associated with a 33% risk reduction of psychotic relapse (aHR = 0.67; 95% CI 0.60-0.75). Clozapine (0.43; 0.29-0.64), long-acting injectable (LAI) formulations of risperidone (0.40; 0.22-0.71), aripiprazole (0.42; 0.27-0.65), and paliperidone (0.46; 0.30-0.69) were associated with the lowest risk of relapse. The association between the LAI formulation of olanzapine and hospitalization due to psychosis was statistically non-significant (0.61; 0.35-1.05). Clozapine was associated with an 86% risk reduction of hospitalization due to SUD (0.14; 0.05-0.44). Of oral non-clozapine antipsychotics, aripiprazole was associated with the lowest risk of hospitalization due to psychotic relapse (0.61; 0.45-0.83). CONCLUSIONS: These findings support the use of clozapine, LAI formulations of second-generation antipsychotics other than olanzapine, or oral aripiprazole to prevent hospitalization in FEP and co-occurring CUD.

Adolescent alcohol and cannabis use and early adulthood educational attainment in the 1986 Northern Finland birth cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Heavy alcohol and cannabis use during adolescence have been previously described as risk factors not only for morbidity in adulthood, but also social problems including adversities in educational attainment. Attempts to consider overlapping risk factors and confounders for these associations are needed. METHODS: Using weighted multivariable models, we examined prospective associations between age at first drink (AFD), age at first intoxication (AFI), frequency of alcohol intoxication, as well as self-reported alcohol tolerance (i.e., number of drinks needed for the subjective experience of intoxication), and lifetime cannabis use at age 15/16 years with subsequent educational attainment obtained from comprehensive registers until age 33 in the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986 (6,564 individuals, 49.1% male). Confounding variables including sex, family structure (intact vs. non-intact), maternal and paternal education level, behavioural/emotional problems in school at age 7/8 years, having a history of illicit substance use in adolescence, having any psychiatric diagnosis before age 16, and parental psychiatric diagnoses, were adjusted for. RESULTS: In this large birth cohort study with a 17-year follow-up, younger age at first intoxication, higher frequency of alcohol intoxication, and high self-reported alcohol tolerance at age 15/16 years were associated with poorer educational outcomes by the age of 33 years. These associations were evident regardless of potential confounders, including parental education and childhood behavioural/emotional problems. The association between adolescent cannabis use and educational attainment in adulthood was no longer statistically significant after adjusting for confounders including frequency of alcohol intoxication at age 15/16. CONCLUSIONS: Assessments of age of first alcohol intoxication, high self-reported alcohol tolerance and frequency of intoxication during adolescence should be included when implementing screening strategies aimed at identifying adolescents at risk for subsequent social problems.

Adolescent alcohol and cannabis use as risk factors for head trauma in the Northern Finland Birth Cohort study 1986.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to assess the associations between cannabis use and frequency of alcohol intoxication in adolescence with the risk of traumatic brain injury and craniofacial fractures in early adulthood. Hypothesis was that using alcohol and cannabis in adolescence could increase the risk for head traumas. METHODS: Data from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986 (n = 9432 individuals) were used to investigate the prospective association between the self-reported frequency of alcohol intoxication (n = 6472) and cannabis use (n = 6586) in mid-adolescence and register-based, head trauma diagnoses by ages 32-33 years. To test the robustness of these associations, the statistical models were adjusted for a range of other confounders such as illicit drug use, previous head trauma and self-reported mental health problems. RESULTS: In multivariate analyses, cannabis use was statistically significantly associated with a greater risk of traumatic brain injury among females [hazard ratio (HR) 1.9, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1-3.2, P = 0.024). Frequent alcohol intoxication was a statistically significant independent risk factor for both traumatic brain injury (HR 2.6, 95% CI 1.7-3.9, P < 0.001) and craniofacial fractures (HR 2.7, 95% CI 1.6-4.8, P < 0.001) among males. CONCLUSIONS: Cannabis use in adolescence appears to associate independently with elevated risk for traumatic brain injury among females, and frequent alcohol intoxication in adolescence seems to associate with elevated risk of both traumatic brain injury and craniofacial fractures among males.

Attention deficit hyperactivity and oppositional defiant disorder symptoms in adolescence and risk of substance use disorders-A general population-based birth cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Externalizing symptoms are associated with risk of future substance use disorder (SUD). Few longitudinal studies exist using general population-based samples which assess the spectrum of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) symptoms. AIMS/OBJECTIVES: We aimed to study the associations between adolescent ADHD symptoms and subsequent SUD and additionally examine whether the risk of SUD is influenced by comorbid oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) symptoms. METHODS: The Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986 was linked to nationwide health care register data for incident SUD diagnoses until age 33 years (n = 6278, 49.5% male). ADHD/ODD-case status at age 16 years was defined using parent-rated ADHD indicated by Strengths and Weaknesses of ADHD symptoms and Normal Behaviors (SWAN) questionnaire with 95% percentile cut-off. To assess the impact of ODD comorbidity on SUD risk, participants were categorized into four groups based on their ADHD/ODD case status. Cox-regression analysis with hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to study associations between adolescent ADHD/ODD case statuses and subsequent SUD. RESULTS: In all, 552 participants (8.8%) presented with ADHD case status at the age of 16 years, and 154/6278 (2.5%) were diagnosed with SUD during the follow-up. ADHD case status was associated with SUD during the follow-up (HR = 3.84, 95% CI 2.69-5.50). After adjustments for sex, family structure, and parental psychiatric disorder and early substance use the association with ADHD case status and SUD remained statistically significant (HR = 2.60, 95% CI 1.70-3.98). The risk of SUD remained elevated in individuals with ADHD case status irrespective of ODD symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: ADHD in adolescence was associated with incident SUD in those with and without symptoms of ODD. The association of ADHD and SUD persisted even after adjustment for a wide range of potential confounds. This emphasizes the need to identify preventative strategies for adolescents with ADHD so as to improve health outcomes.

Associations of Adolescent Alcohol Use and Self-Reported Alcohol Tolerance With Risk of Self-Harm and Suicide in Early Adulthood: A Birth-Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to assess the predictive associations of age at first drink (AFD), age at first intoxication (AFI), frequency of intoxication, and self-reported alcohol tolerance at ages 15-16 with self-harm requiring medical attention or suicide death by age 33. METHOD: In an ongoing follow-up study, the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986, a total of 7,735 individuals were included at ages 15-16. Information on alcohol and other substance use was assessed via questionnaires. Information on self-harm or suicide was collected from national registers until the participants were 33 years of age. Baseline psychiatric symptomatology measured with the Youth Self-Report questionnaire and sociodemographic background variables were controlled for in multivariable analyses using Cox regression analyses. RESULTS: Male gender and psychiatric symptoms at ages 15-16 were consistently associated with greater risk of self-harm and suicide death. When baseline psychiatric symptomatology and other background variables were adjusted for, younger AFI (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.28, 95% CI [1.16, 4.47]) and high inherent alcohol tolerance (HR = 3.76, 95% CI [1.55, 9.08]) were associated with self-harm. Furthermore, frequent alcohol intoxication (HR = 5.39, 95% CI [1.44, 20.23]) and high inherent alcohol tolerance (HR = 6.20, 95% CI [1.18, 32.45]) were associated with suicide death by age 33. CONCLUSIONS: High alcohol tolerance, age at onset of intoxication, and frequency of alcohol intoxication in adolescence appear to be significant predictors of self-harm and suicide in early adulthood. Self-reported alcohol tolerance in adolescence is a novel empirical approach to assess adolescent alcohol use associating with subsequent harms.

Association of ADHD symptoms in adolescence and mortality in Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986.

BACKGROUND: Diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) has been associated with increased risk of mortality in large register samples. However, there is less known about the association between symptoms of ADHD in adolescents and risk of mortality in general population samples. METHODS: The Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986 (n = 9432 at recruitment in early pregnancy) linked to nationwide register data for deaths was utilized to study the association between parent-rated ADHD symptoms assessed using Strengths and Weaknesses of ADHD symptoms and Normal Behaviors (SWAN) questionnaire and mortality until age 33 years. Cox-regression analysis with hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) was used to study the association between SWAN inattentive, hyperactive, and combined symptom scores and risk of death. RESULTS: Sixty-three (0.9%) of the 6685 participants died during the follow-up. Higher SWAN inattentive (crude HR = 2.30, 95% CI 1.46-3.63), SWAN hyperactive (crude HR = 2.43, 95% CI 1.29-4.56), and SWAN combined (crude HR = 2.69, 95% CI 1.57-4.61) scores were associated with increased risk of death. After adjustments for sex, family structure, and lifetime parental psychiatric disorder, these associations persisted. Further adjustment for frequent alcohol intoxication, cannabis, and other substance use in adolescence attenuated these to below statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: These results extend previous findings on the risk of mortality in adolescents who have symptoms of ADHD. Further research with larger samples are needed to determine whether the association between ADHD symptoms and mortality is independent of adolescent substance use.

The relationships between use of alcohol, tobacco and coffee in adolescence and mood disorders in adulthood.

INTRODUCTION: Alcohol, tobacco and coffee are commonly used substances and use in adolescence has previously been linked to mood disorders. However, few large prospective studies have investigated adolescent use in relation to mental health outcomes in adulthood. The main aim of this study was to examine the prospective associations between alcohol use, cigarette smoking and coffee consumption at age 16 and subsequent mood disorders up to 33 years of age. METHODS: Data from The Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986 Study were used and a total of 7660 participants (49.9% male) were included. Associations between alcohol use, cigarette smoking and coffee consumption at age 16 and later diagnoses of major depression and bipolar disorder were examined using multinomial logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: Mean number of cigarettes/day (OR, 1.23 [95% CI 1.01-1.50]) and mean volume of alcohol consumption (OR, 1.22 [95% CI 1.01-1.47]), but not frequency of excessive drinking, in adolescence were associated with increased risk for subsequent bipolar disorder after adjustment for sex, parental psychiatric disorders, family structure, illicit substance use, and emotional and behavioral problems at age 16. An association between cigarette smoking and major depression attenuated to statistically non-significant when adjusted for emotional and behavioral problems. No associations were observed between adolescent coffee consumption and subsequent mood disorders. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to report an association of adolescent cigarette smoking and subsequent bipolar disorder diagnosis providing grounds for further research and pointing to a place for preventive measures among adolescents.

Alcohol use in adolescence as a risk factor for overdose in the 1986 Northern Finland Birth Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Overdoses and poisonings are among the most common causes of death in young adults. Adolescent problem drinking has been associated with psychiatric morbidity in young adulthood as well as with elevated risk for suicide attempts. There is limited knowledge on adolescent alcohol use as a risk factor for alcohol and/or drug overdoses in later life. METHODS: Here, data from The Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986 study with a follow-up from adolescence to early adulthood were used to assess the associations between adolescent alcohol use and subsequent alcohol or drug overdose. Three predictors were used: age of first intoxication, self-reported alcohol tolerance and frequency of alcohol intoxication in adolescence. ICD-10-coded overdose diagnoses were obtained from nationwide registers. Use of illicit drugs or misuse of medication, Youth Self Report total score, family structure and mother's education in adolescence were used as covariates. RESULTS: In multivariate analyses, early age of first alcohol intoxication [hazard ratios (HR) 4.5, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 2.2-9.2, P < 0.001], high alcohol tolerance (HR 3.1, 95% CI 1.6-6.0, P = 0.001) and frequent alcohol intoxication (HR 1.9, 95% CI 1.0-3.4, P = 0.035) all associated with the risk of overdoses. Early age of first intoxication (HR 5.2, 95% CI 1.9-14.7, P = 0.002) and high alcohol tolerance (HR 4.4, 95% CI 1.7-11.5, P = 0.002) also associated with intentional overdoses. CONCLUSIONS: Alcohol use in adolescence associated prospectively with increased risk of overdose in later life. Early age of first intoxication, high alcohol tolerance and frequent alcohol intoxication are all predictors of overdoses.

Substance use confounds associations between peer victimization and aggression in adolescence with mental disorders in adulthood: A prospective birth cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: Peer victimization and aggression in adolescence are associated with later mental health morbidity. However, studies examining this association have not controlled for adolescent substance use. We aimed to study the associations between peer victimization, peer aggression, and mental disorders in adulthood, adjusting for substance use in adolescence. METHODS: Participants were from the prospective Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986. Data were available for 6682 individuals (70.8% of the original sample). Peer victimization and peer aggression were assessed with items from the Achenbach Youth Self Report at ages 15-16 years. Outcomes were nonorganic psychosis, anxiety disorder, mood disorder, substance use disorder, and any mental disorder (a none-vs-any indicator) at age 33 years collected from nationwide health care, insurance, and pension registers. Family structure, alcohol intoxication frequency, daily smoking, illicit drug use, and baseline psychopathology using Youth Self-Report total score, and parental mental disorders were considered as confounding factors. RESULTS: In multivariable analyses, the association between peer victimization and psychosis (Hazard ratio [HR]: 2.9, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.2-6.9, p = .020) and mood disorder (HR: 1.7, 95% CI: 1.2-2.4, p = .012) in females remained significant after adjusting for confounders. Other associations between female and male peer victimization or aggression and the studied outcomes attenuated after adjustments. CONCLUSIONS: Some associations between peer victimization and aggression and later mental health morbidity are explained by adolescent substance use. For females, substance use does not account for the increased risk of psychosis and mood disorder in those who experience peer victimization.

Trajectories of adolescent psychotic-like experiences and early cannabis exposure: Results from a Finnish Birth Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Longitudinal studies examining the effect of cannabis exposure (CE) on the prognosis of adolescents with psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) are scarce. We examined trajectories of mental health in adolescents with PLEs and cannabis exposure. METHODS: The Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986 (n = 6552) with linkage to nationwide register data was used. Information on lifetime cannabis exposure was collected when participants were aged 15/16. Register-based outcome data on diagnoses made in clinical practice were obtained until age 33. Logistic regression was used to study the association of PLE/CE patterns and subsequent psychiatric disorders. The group with neither PLEs nor CE was utilized as the reference group. Parental psychiatric disorders, family structure, sex, frequent alcohol intoxications, daily smoking and illicit substance use other than cannabis were adjusted for. RESULTS: In all, 6552 subjects (49.2 % males) were included in analysis. PLEs with cannabis exposure were associated with any psychiatric disorder (OR = 2.59; 95 % CI 1.82-3.68), psychotic disorders (OR = 3.86; 95 % CI 1.83-8.11), mood disorders (OR 4.07; 95 % CI 2.74-6.04), depressive disorders (OR = 4.35; 95 % CI 2.93-6.48), anxiety disorders (OR = 2.06; 95 % CI 1.34-3.17) and substance use disorders (OR = 2.26; 95 % CI 1.13-4.50) compared to reference group. Effect sizes were greater for group with both PLEs and cannabis use than for group with PLEs only. CONCLUSIONS: Early-onset cannabis use is an adverse prognostic marker for adolescents with PLEs after extensive confounder control including other substance use.

Is early exposure to cannabis associated with bipolar disorder? Results from a Finnish birth cohort study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: There are few longitudinal studies assessing the association of cannabis use and subsequent onset of bipolar disorder. We aimed to measure the association between early cannabis exposure and subsequent bipolar disorder. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Observational study linking a sample from the northern Finland birth cohort 1986 (n = 6325) to nation-wide register data to examine the association of life-time cannabis exposure at age 15/16 years and subsequent bipolar disorder until age 33 (until the end of 2018); 6325 individuals (48.8% males) were included in the analysis. MEASUREMENTS: Cannabis exposure was measured via self-report. Bipolar disorder was measured via bipolar disorder-related diagnostic codes (ICD-10: F30.xx, F31.xx) collected from the Care Register for Health Care 2001-18, the Register of Primary Health Care Visits 2011-18, the medication reimbursement register of the Social Insurance Institution of Finland 2001-05 and the disability pensions of the Finnish Center for Pensions 2001-16. Potential confounders included demographic characteristics, parental psychiatric disorders, emotional and behavioral problems and other substance use. FINDINGS: Three hundred and fifty-two adolescents (5.6%) reported any cannabis use until the age of 15-16 years. Of the whole sample, 66 (1.0%) were diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Adolescent cannabis use was associated with bipolar disorder [hazard ratio (HR) = 3.46; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.81-6.61]. This association remained statistically significant after adjusting for sex, family structure and parental psychiatric disorders (HR = 3.00; 95% CI = 1.47-6.13) and after further adjusting for adolescent emotional and behavioral problems (HR = 2.34; 95% CI = 1.11-4.94). Further adjustments for frequent alcohol intoxications, daily smoking and lifetime illicit drug use attenuated the associations to statistically non-significant. CONCLUSIONS: In Finland, the positive association between early cannabis exposure and subsequent development of bipolar disorder appears to be confounded by other substance use.

Parental smoking and young adult offspring psychosis, depression and anxiety disorders and substance use disorder.

BACKGROUND: To study the associations between maternal smoking during pregnancy and paternal smoking before pregnancy and adult offspring psychiatric disorders. METHODS: Prospective general population cohort study in Northern Finland, with people from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986: 7259 subjects (77% of the original sample). Data on parental smoking were collected from parents during pregnancy using questionnaires. Outcomes were offspring's register-based diagnoses: any psychiatric disorder, any non-organic psychosis, mood disorder, anxiety disorder and substance use disorder (SUD) until the age of 29-30 years. Maternal smoking during pregnancy and paternal smoking before pregnancy were pooled to three-class variables: (i) none; (ii) 1-9 and (iii) ≥10 cigarettes/day. Information regarding both parents' alcohol use during pregnancy and at offspring age 15-16 years, maternal education level, family structure, parental psychiatric diagnoses and offspring gender, smoking, intoxication frequency and illicit substance use at the age of 15-16 years were investigated as covariates. RESULTS: In the multivariable analyses, maternal smoking during pregnancy did not associate with the studied outcomes after adjusting for offspring smoking and other substance use at offspring age 15-16 years and parental psychiatric disorders. However, paternal smoking ≥10 cigarettes/day before pregnancy [hazard ratio (HR) = 5.5, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.7-11.2, P < 0.001] and paternal psychiatric disorders (HR = 1.7, 95% CI 1.1-2.8, P = 0.028) associated with offspring SUD after adjustments. CONCLUSIONS: Information across the offspring life course is essential in exploring the association between parental smoking and offspring psychiatric disorders. Paternal smoking before pregnancy and paternal psychiatric disorders may act as modifiers in elevating the risk of substance-use-related problems among offspring.

Does cannabis use in adolescence predict self-harm or suicide? Results from a Finnish Birth Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: Longitudinal studies examining the association between adolescent cannabis use and self-harm are rare, heterogeneous and mixed in their conclusions. We study this association utilizing a large general population-based sample with prospective data. METHODS: The Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986 (n = 6582) with linkage to nationwide register data was used to study the association of self-reported cannabis use at age 15-16 years and self-harm and suicide death until age 33 (until year 2018), based on register information. Cox regression analysis with Hazard Ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) was used. Psychiatric disorders, parental psychiatric disorders and other substance use were considered as confounders. RESULTS: In all, 6582 (49.2% male) were included in the analysis, and 377 adolescents (5.7%) reported any cannabis use until the age of 15-16 years. Based on register information, 79 (55.7% male) had visited in health care services due to self-harm, and 22 (90.1% male) had died by suicide. In crude analyses, adolescent cannabis use was associated with self-harm (HR = 3.93; 95% CI 2.24-6.90). The association between cannabis use and self-harm remained statistically significant after adjusting for sex, psychiatric disorders at baseline, frequent alcohol intoxications, other illicit drug use, and parental psychiatric disorders (HR 2.06; 95% CI 1.07-3.95). In contrast, the association of cannabis use with suicide did not reach statistical significance even in crude analysis (HR 2.60; 95% CI 0.77-8.78). CONCLUSION: Cannabis use in adolescence may increase risk of self-harm independent of adolescent psychopathology and other substance use.

Withdrawal from Long-Term Use of Unusually High-Dose Oxazepam.

Benzodiazepine (BZD) misuse is a worldwide problem that healthcare professionals encounter in daily practice. High-dose BZD withdrawal is usually a long process that may require referral to an inpatient rehabilitation unit. Relapses after withdrawal are common. BZD withdrawal can cause complications including seizures, suicidal behavior, anxiety, and depression. Guidelines describe tapering protocols for modest doses; however, protocols for exceptionally high-dose BZD withdrawal are not well described. Herein, we describe a BZD tapering protocol for a patient with daily use of high-dose (1800 mg) oxazepam (OXP). The BZD tapering was administered in an inpatient psychiatric hospital, and the outcome was evaluated monthly after discharge for three months. This report describes a unique case of high-dose OXP withdrawal and also outlines an optional protocol to apply when clinicians encounter these unusual cases.

Age of first alcohol intoxication and psychiatric disorders in young adulthood - A prospective birth cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: Early onset of alcohol use is associated with an increased risk of substance use disorders (SUD), but few studies have examined associations with other psychiatric disorders. Our aim was to study the association between the age of first alcohol intoxication (AFI) and the risk of psychiatric disorders in a Finnish general population sample. METHODS: We utilized a prospective, general population-based study, the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986. In all, 6,290 15-16-year old adolescents answered questions on AFI and were followed up until the age of 33 years for psychiatric disorders (any psychiatric disorder, psychosis, SUD, mood disorders and anxiety disorders) by using nationwide register linkage data. Cox-regression analysis with Hazard Ratios (HR, with 95% confidence intervals (CI)) was used to assess the risk of psychiatric disorders associated with AFI. RESULTS: Statistically significant associations were observed between AFI and any psychiatric disorder, psychosis, SUDs, and mood disorders. After adjustments for other substance use, family structure, sex and parental psychiatric disorders, AFIs of 13-14 years and ≤12 years were associated with SUD (HR = 5.30; 95%CI 2.38-11.82 and HR = 6.49; 95%CI 2.51-16.80, respectively), while AFI ≤ 12 years was associated with any psychiatric disorder (HR = 1.59; 95%CI 1.26-2.02) and mood disorders (HR = 1.81; 95%CI 1.22-2.68). After further adjustments for Youth Self Report total scores, AFI ≤ 14 was associated with an increased risk of SUD and AFI ≤ 12 with an increased risk of any psychiatric disorder. CONCLUSIONS: We found significant associations between the early age of first alcohol intoxication, later SUD and any psychiatric disorder in a general population sample. This further supports the need for preventive efforts to postpone the first instances of adolescent alcohol intoxication.

Adolescent cannabis use, depression and anxiety disorders in the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986.

BACKGROUND: Cannabis use has been associated with increased risk of psychiatric disorders. However, associations between adolescent cannabis use, depression and anxiety disorders are inconsistently reported in longitudinal samples. AIMS: To study associations of adolescent cannabis use with depression and anxiety disorders. METHOD: We used data from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986, linked to nationwide registers, to study the association between adolescent cannabis use and depression and anxiety disorders until 33 years of age (until 2018). RESULTS: We included 6325 participants (48.8% male) in the analyses; 352 (5.6%) participants reported cannabis use until 15-16 years of age. By the end of the follow-up, 583 (9.2%) participants were diagnosed with unipolar depression and 688 (10.9%) were diagnosed with anxiety disorder. Cannabis use in adolescence was associated with an increased risk of depression and anxiety disorders in crude models. After adjusting for parental psychiatric disorder, baseline emotional and behavioural problems, demographic factors and other substance use, using cannabis five or more times was associated with increased risk of anxiety disorders (hazard ratio 2.01, 95% CI 1.15-3.82), and using cannabis once (hazard ratio 1.93, 95% CI 1.30-2.87) or two to four times (hazard ratio 2.02, 95% CI 1.24-3.31) was associated with increased risk of depression. CONCLUSIONS: Cannabis use in adolescence was associated with an increased risk of future depression and anxiety disorders. Further research is needed to clarify if this is a causal association, which could then inform public health messages about the use of cannabis in adolescence.

Frequent Alcohol Intoxication and High Alcohol Tolerance During Adolescence as Predictors of Mortality: A Birth Cohort Study.

PURPOSE: Long-term prospective studies evaluating the health burden that is consequent to adolescent drinking are needed. The aim of this study was to examine the predictive associations between self-reported alcohol tolerance and frequent intoxication at age 15-16 years and the risk of death by age 33 years. METHODS: A sample (n = 6,615; 49.3% males) of the Northern Finland Birth Cohort Study 1986 was studied. Self-reported alcohol tolerance (drinks needed to feel intoxicated) and frequency of alcohol intoxication at age 15-16 years were analyzed along with background variables and data regarding subsequent psychiatric diagnoses. Categories were formed for both predictive variables from self-reported tolerance and frequency of intoxication in mid-adolescence. Cox regression was used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence interval (95% CI) for death by age 30 years. RESULTS: By the age of 33 years, of all 6,615 participants, 53 (.8%) were deceased. The HR for death by age 33 years was 3.08 (95% CI 1.17-8.07) among adolescents with high alcohol tolerance compared with adolescents without alcohol use or intoxication. The frequency of alcohol intoxication was also associated with mortality; HR 2.05 (95% CI 1.01-4.16) for those who had been intoxicated one to two times and HR 3.02 (95% CI 1.21-7.54) for those who had been intoxicated three or more times in the past 30 days compared with adolescents without intoxication. CONCLUSIONS: High self-reported alcohol tolerance and frequent alcohol intoxication during mid-adolescence significantly predicted death by age 33 years. These behaviors carry long-term repercussions with respect to premature loss of life. Substantial efforts should be made to diminish this mortality risk.

Association of age at first drink and first alcohol intoxication as predictors of mortality: a birth cohort study.

BACKGROUND: More information on the health-related repercussions of age at onset of adolescent drinking is needed. The aim of this study was to examine the associations between self-reported age at first drink and age at first alcohol intoxication with the risk of death by age 30. METHODS: The sample (n = 6564; 49.1% males) included all participants of the Northern Finland Birth Cohort Study 1986 (NFBC1986) for whom the two measures of adolescent drinking were available. Self-reported age at onset of first drink and first alcohol intoxication were analyzed along with background variables and data regarding subsequent psychiatric diagnoses. Adolescents were dichotomized into those reporting age at first drink and age at first intoxication before or after age 14. Cox regression was used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence interval (95% CI) for death by age 30. RESULTS: By the age of 30, 0.7% (n = 47) of all 6564 participants were deceased. In the multivariable models, male gender and a history of illicit substance use in adolescence were associated with both all-cause mortality and mortality due to accidents or suicide. After controlling for confounding variables, age at first alcohol intoxication was associated with all-cause mortality (HR 2.33; 95% CI 1.04-5.20) as well as death due to accidents or suicide (HR 2.99; 95% CI 1.11-8.05). CONCLUSIONS: Earlier age at first intoxication carries long-term repercussions with respect to premature loss of life. Efforts should be made targeting the prolongation of initiating binge drinking in adolescence to diminish this mortality risk.

Frequent intoxication and alcohol tolerance in adolescence: associations with psychiatric disorders in young adulthood.

AIMS: To assess the associations of intoxication frequency and number of drinks needed to become intoxicated in mid-adolescence with onset of psychiatric disorders in early adulthood. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Prospective cohort study in Northern Finland, with people from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986 who self-reported adolescent alcohol use: 6548 subjects (69.4% of the original sample). Data on alcohol use were collected using questionnaires at ages 15-16 years. MEASUREMENTS: Outcomes were any non-organic psychosis, mood disorder, anxiety disorder, any substance use disorder (SUD) and all the studied psychiatric disorders in early adulthood gathered from nation-wide health care, pension and insurance registers. Number of drinks needed to become intoxicated was categorized into three classes: (1) no alcohol use or intoxication, and (2) low and (3) high alcohol tolerance (more than seven/nine drinks for females/males) groups. Similarly, intoxication frequency was divided into three classes: (1) never, (2) one to two times and (3) three or more times during the past 30 days. Information regarding gender, family type, other drug use, psychopathology using Youth Self-Report (YSR) total score and parental psychiatric disorders were used as covariates. FINDINGS: In the multivariable analyses, both low [odds ratio (OR) = 3.0, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.3-6.7, P-value = 0.009] and high (OR = 4.4, 95% CI = 1.8-11.1, P-value = 0.001) alcohol tolerance were associated with increased risk of SUD. More frequent intoxication was associated with increased frequency of SUD (OR = 3.9, 95% CI = 2.0-7.3, P-value < 0.001) and mood disorder (OR = 1.6, 95% CI = 1.1-2.3, P-value = 0.008). The latter was attenuated after adjusting with concurrent psychopathology (YSR) and other drug use. CONCLUSIONS: Both higher alcohol tolerance and frequent intoxication in adolescence appear to be associated with increased risk of future substance use disorder.